Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I’ve started to enjoy Marc Herbrart Champagne’s in the last six months. There are just over 20,000 grower producers in Champagne…hard to try them all in many lifetimes. Basically, impossible. I picked up some of his 2019 Blanc de Noirs today on Last Bubbles for $79…used a coupon and got the free ship. I bought two of these at Costco last weekend for $56.99. Had a glass at the end of last Friday night w/ friends. Enjoyed it, but wanted to taste it and write notes with a clean palate.

This lives up to that price point and slightly exceeds it. 91.5 rounding up to 92.

The nose has a sour Lemonhead candy quality (that’s a 1st time wine descriptor for me), white stone fruits-peach, nectarine, lime zest, cream, honeydew, brioche, saline, chalk, sea fossils, ginger, hues of ginger ale, white Spring flowers with greens.

The palate shows nice mousse…crisp. It leans into reductive but flashes some oxidative quality. White stone fruits-peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon, lime zest, lychees, Rainer cherries, some apple cider, bruised Bosc pear, cream, honeydew, pineapple juice, brioche, some caramel saline, gritty chalk-limestone-volcanics minerals, sea fossils, white spice-ginger with some palate punch, ginger ale notes, jasmine, white Spring flowers with greens with a well balanced, knitted, polished and elegant finish that lands dead smack on minerality and lasts two-minutes.

One thing I have been meaning to bring into the light with a post on Champagnes in general but haven’t yet is, I studied the hell out of French Wine Winemaking Laws. Perhaps, the strictest or at least one of the most restrictive in the world…growing, labeling, certain varietals for certain wines. Basically 3 grapes are primarily used in Champagne but 7 are allowed; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier are the primary ones and Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are the ancillary ones. 5 grapes only in Bordeaux blends and you cannot irrigate there either. You get what the season gives you. Having said all that, there seems to be some allowed leeway in Champagne labeling…Extra Brut, Brut and Demi-Sec etc.. Nature is 0 to 3g, Extra Brut is 3 to 6g and Brut is 6-9g etc. This Marc Herbrart is 5.5g, which technically makes it Extra Brut. Yet it’s labeled Brut. I see this all the time. I regularly see champagnes labeled Brut that are 10-11g or more. So, if you care about the sweetness level of your Champagne, you should probably read up on the champagne you’re about to buy. Given how strict French Wine Laws are, I find this a little baffling.

This Marc Hebrart received its cork March 2, 2023 and as I mentioned, its dosage is 5.5g.

Photos of; Champagne House-Marc Herbrart, the man himself-Marc Herbrart, perfect vineyard Chardonnay grapes & vista of their vineyard(s). What rows!!! — 18 days ago

Andrew szymanski

9.4

I have drunk JD for years. Always have a bottle in the house. — 6 years ago

Aaron Krauss

9.5

Very nice oak flavor. Less sweet, but not harsh. Rhonda wants a bottle in the house. Buy a bottle. — 2 years ago

oeno man

9.8

Outstanding, delicious and bold, celebrating in laws new house! — 4 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.4

Picked these up from Vena’s Fizzhouse in Portland, Maine. It was one of the ingredients in a cocktail I got called the Lumber Sexual.

I fell in love and had to get the bitters to try and recreate it at home.

Perfectly herbaceous and harmonious with a flowery, naturally sweet quality. Resinous. Love it with just club soda and a whiskey rock as pictured. — 5 years ago

Edward Nelson

9.1

Christmas day 2019. In-laws house. Shared with Kathy, but not with the ones drinking Riunite. Good but not my favorite. — 6 years ago

with Michelle

Ed Tracy

9.3

Batch No. 5 — 3 years ago

with Rebecca

Norman

9.3

5th in the tasting. First of the peat. Really nicely done. Not overly peaty. FYI supposedly the 12 is as good at a better price. Craziest thing I heard? Try the Nikka 21 with sushi. Not sure how we got here and on this topic but I think it was due to the peat/no peat differences. This is one that Start said he always has for company. He also called out the Macallan 25 and Reflection (not a house whiskey obviously but there for special occasions). I noted I need to come over more often! I’m rating higher due to the hint of peat. — 4 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.2

What a fun find at my in-laws house. Very earthy and chocolate nose with the tiniest hint of blood orange peel (I agree with another reviewer). Still a lot of bite on this one for the age. Nice amount of funk too. Expect it will shine with food. Really impressed.

Edit to say my husband smelled Little Caesar’s bread sticks on the nose 🤣 — 5 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.1

In-House, Corporate holiday party... — 6 years ago