Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

For all things there is a first. The cork while twisting it out of the bottle snapped in half. I had to take the rest out with a cork screw.

I really enjoy their work. The quality is really good and for $99 in today’s champagne market if you buy it right, it’s still fairly priced. I’ve had much more expensive champagne with bigger brand names that aren’t this good. I’m enjoying this over some Krug N/V’s I’ve had.

Nice mousse, lively crisp acidity, bruised golden/red apple, bruised Bosc pear, lemon/lime pulp w/zest, some pineapple-mango, blood orange led citrus blend, grapefruit, ginger-ale, some yeastiness, baguette, graham cracker crust, white spice w/palate heat, grainy, grey volcanic minerals, limestone, hints of mint leaves, frothed cream, vanilla, caramel-light brown sugar notes, sea fossils, undertones of saline, withering yellow flowers/lilies, white-spring flowers with greens, jasmine, excellent acidity, well structured-toned-balanced and a fine elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and long sets beautifully on volcanics & spice.

Photos of; Gimonnet and Olivier and Didier Gimonnet. — 4 months ago

Mitali P

8.9

New favorite Sonoma coast pinot. Discovered via Vintners collective wine club. Love it! Balanced fruit long finish. — 8 months ago

Billy L.

9.3

Celebrating John K. Selling Long Beach House! Cheers 🍾🥂👍🏻👏🏻 — 10 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

This is a delicious Champagne from the great 2008 vintage.

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Medium plus in body with small bubbles and medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with a nice mouthfeel. Elegant and complex.

Showing bruised apples, yeast, citrus, brioche, spices, minerals, sea salt, light river rocks, earth and white pepper.

Long finish with limes and almonds.

This 15 year old Champagne is rich and very enjoyable by itself or with food.

Nicely balanced and concentrated, with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.

I paired it with light appetizers.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$100. — 3 years ago

with Scott

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2008 pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of passion fruit, green apple, marzipan, light brioche, lemon curd, and chalk for dayzzzz. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and textural; leezy. I’m smitten. Lovely stuff. Drink now through 2048. Disgorged April 2022. — 4 months ago

Lyn Farmer

9.6

Sensational Champagne with pale gold color and deep autolytic flavors. Crisp ripe apple and lemon, chalky minerality, subtle raspberry, biscuit, brioche, Acacia, hawthorn, and hazelnut with an achingly long finish showing chalk, flint, honey and biscuit. A dazzling match with pan-seared scallops. — 9 months ago

Doug Powers

9.5

Fabulous vintage Champagne, tight bubbles, moderately rich but super long finish, excellent!! — 9 months ago

with Jim

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Ruby with elegant red fruit aromas and gentle floral spice, aged for 10 months in French oak. On the palate flavors of cherry and cranberry with notes of tea, herb pepper with wet stone notes. Soft tannins on a long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy mineral notes. Very Nice! — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The 2012 J. Lassalle Special Club is made from 60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay. The vines average 50 yrs old. Hails from Chigny-Les-Roses. Winemakers Chantal Decelle-Lassalle and Angéline Templier farm using the practice of Lutte Raisonnée, which means they fall just short of organic. Sustainable but use minimal chemicals. Rain during and at the end of the season when Mother Nature doesn’t dry the grape clusters, chemicals are often necessary to prevent mold. This isn’t Sauternes!

Texturally, it is quite nice. Beautiful fine mousse and micro oxygenation. Lively but not aggressive acidity.

Green & golden apples, pear, pineapple, lime/lemon with zest, orange citrus blend, green melon & kiwi. White spice, bread dough, nougat, limestone bits, thick chalky powder, graham cracker crust, melted caramel, vanillin, saline, sea fossils, understated herbaceous notes, fruit blossoms, spring flowers with an elegant, smartly polished, well balanced, nicely structured-crafted finish that lasts 90 seconds & lands on volcanics & spice on the long set.

You could make case for 94 here. Perhaps fully with a few more yrs of bottle age.

Pairs well with the Jasper Hill Farms Limited Edition of their Champagne washed Harbison soft white. — 5 months ago

Willie Carter

9.5

So young, so very young. But so pretty and so damned delicious. Sparkling pale salmon with effusive perlage. It’s a very aesthetically pleasing champagne. Strawberries in cream are prominent on the nose with rose petals. Fresh brioche and daisies. The nose just goes on and on.

As is typical with Bara champagnes, this is Pinot Noir from Bouzy. Complex, alluring, and lithe, this has all the trademarks of becoming a great wine in the future. As it is, it’s already an utterly felicitous wine. Nice acidity and typically wonderful structure. Silky and luxurious but you just know it’s going to get better.

A sudden burst of seductive fruit in the mouth. Red apples, red cherries, and more strawberry on the palate. Plenty of citrus here, as well. Just the faintest hint of fresh mint on the long finish for an added boost. I should say hold these for a years so it can truly become itself, but go ahead now. Why not, you only live the once. — 3 years ago