Excellent. A deep concentrated plum color in the glass. Beautiful aromas of dark red fruits and fresh herbs. Mushrooms and some incredibly clean funk. There’s a bit of coffee and dried cherries. Oak and fresh foliage.
I do love these wines. Exquisite and so immediately approachable. A very clean wine that is still able to display such charm and personality. Soft, supple, and silky. Medium bodied and elegant. Very smooth on the tongue with more mushrooms and red and blue fruits. Herbs are striking, especially on the long finish.
Still quite young but oh so good. Drink one every year and you’ll be happy. — a month ago
This starts singing a song right off the bat with a very classic Champagne nose featuring toasted brioche and nuts, quite autolytic. Citrus fruits come with time but apples are dominant here on the nose. The floral accents are the real star here. Really nice balance on the nose.
Pure Pinot Noir from Verzenay and Verzy. Aged for three years on lees, with 30% coming from reserve wines dating back to 1968. Zippy acidity with good structure and balance throughout. Big, bold, and not a little bit burly but there’s still refinement and class.
Fresh and vigorous, this punches above its weight. Almonds and apples on the tongue initially. There’s a little peach and pear with toast for good measure. Grand Cru goodness. — a month ago
A distinct sparkling golden hue in the glass with highly active bubbles. The nose is mature and instantly pleasant. Apple aromas aplenty. Nice citrus notes with a bit of umami. Brioche and grapefruit.
Special Club champagnes are just special. This is no exception. A classically styled champagne in all aspects, equal parts baronial and fun. Well balanced with a low dosage and slightly zippy acidity. Honey and butter on the tongue with yellow fruits. More and more apples with a dash of dried herbs. Still has many more years to go before it hits its prime.
— 2 months ago
Light ruby in the glass with thin edges. Despite the age, the nose still presents fresh aromas. Dark red fruits dominate at first but after plenty of time and air other elements will start to sing. A nice mix of oak and herbs with a pleasant touch of old leather. There’s the faintest hint of Beautiful Burgundian Funk going on, which always sets my heart ablaze.
A simple, entry level Burgundy can be fun but one from a terrific producer can definitely rise above. Soft, yet rustic and charming. The age has certainly improved the wine and it still has years to go. Plenty of dusty cherries and wild strawberries on the palate. Chocolate and more oak with spice and dried herbs. Mushrooms and earth with stewed plums on the finish. A seriously fun wine. — 14 hours ago
If you’re looking for the perfect house wine, you can thank me. Wild and free, this is such a classic Chinon that hits every single one of the notes.
Herbs, herbs, and more herbs on the nose to start with. That beautiful barnyard we all know and love. Celery and green bell pepper for days, just so nice. Wet dirt with blue and black berries and the faintest hint of leather.
Very very young and still a bit primary, this has good bones and is still ready to love you now. Needs decanting but after some time and air it shows well. Fresh and alive on the palate, this sings a lovely song. Blueberries and strawberry jam. A little olive tapenade, more mushrooms, and black pepper. This is my kind of wine, my kind of Chinon. — a month ago
A majestic wine. Clear ruby in the glass with a wide brim and long legs. The nose is muted at first and this does require decanting but she does begin to reveal her mysteries after some time and air. Classic Volnay characteristics with wet earth and prunes. Violets and cherries with a touch of spice.
Drinking very well right now. Rustic yet elegant and so inviting. Nice tannins and complexity. A ton of energy and life here, she practically dances on the tongue. The beautiful funk is prevalent throughout. Wild strawberries and mushrooms on the palate initially. A bit of cedar and more cherries. Warm spice on the deliciously long finish. A beautiful Burgundy.
— 2 months ago
Another beautiful champagne from the Launois family. A pale old gold color with nice perlage and intensity. Freshly baked bread and green apple aromas for days. Melons and white peaches with herbs for good measure. There’s an innate sense of lemon zest in the air that’s just magnificent.
Pure Grand Cru Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger. Four years of aging on lees gives this a resplendent and stately nature. Nice acidity and a superb mouthfeel, especially on the second day. Apples and chalk on the palate alongside vibrant citrus fruits. I struggle to think of a better value in Champagne than this. Stock up. — 13 days ago
A stately medium straw color in the glass with tiny, fast paced bubbles. This is a rather intense cuvee. The nose gets the party started with toast and white flowers. A bit of citrus, a bit of red cherry. There’s an innate smokiness to the wine that permeates throughout. Very distinct, very appealing. Very sexy.
100% Pinot Meunier from Montagne de Reims. This is an exciting champagne, so full of personality and character. Quite dry and complex, even at this young age. That youthful vigor is in full force here though without many of the problems other young champagnes have that cause them to be clunky or awkward.
A plethora of apples on the palate with more cherries. A touch of blue fruits and more yeast on the tongue. The smoky nature is still prevalent here and on the long finish. Unique and beautiful, this was a pleasure. — a month ago
Another great bottle from Les Freres Mignon. A rather lovely shade of gold in the glass with persistent and pacy perlage. The nose is exquisite with the citrus aromatics throughout. Melon and pineapple, along with a smattering of floral notes. Plenty of fresh brioche and lemons as well.
From the village of Cuis in the Côte de Blancs and pure Chardonnay. Electric and alive with vivacious acidity. Nice depth and complexity. An extra brut dosage of 1.6 g/l making it quite racy. The palate follows the nose with more citrus and green apples for days. A pleasant herbal character with more autolytic notes. Good length that will leave you wanting more. A very good champagne, very terroir driven. — a month ago
Willie Carter
One of my great loves, serious rosé. A pale salmon color in the glass. The nose explodes with a cacophony of aromas. Strawberry jam and fresh red cherries. There are autolytic notes with brioche bread and an innate creaminess. Herbs and a touch of spice for good measure.
With a whopping 63% of Chardonnay in the blend, this is a very different kind of rosé. Fun and flamboyant, yes but also well heeled and full of character. Quite vinous, it’s a more thoughtful wine compared to others of its ilk. Well balanced with pleasant acidity and body.
Youthful and intense on the tongue. A burst of red berries initially. Almond slivers and dried herbs. Citrus acidity and a nice, long finish. A really nice champagne from a great house. — an hour ago