David Shaw

8.9

Light golden yellow, excellent clarity. Floral and honey nose, spicy and dry in mouth with white flower flavor. Long mineral finish. Mouthfeel (viscosity) on the heavy side, but reasonably good acidity. A different aesthetic going on here so give it a chance. 50/50 barrel and tank fermented. 13% alc/vol. The back label claims there’s peach flavor in there, but you’ll need to wait an hour for it to emerge, and it’s a faint underripe peach note, at least initially. — 7 months ago

Elizabeth Vecseri

9.2

Light and fruity, slight bitterness as from a seed. Very much apricot and golden raisin. Not too sweet so it pairs well with raclette and baked brie. — 2 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2013 / Wednesday Meatballsday (2) / today a house favorite Meatballs with chicory stewed in beer - a Flemish recipe / so often it is advised to open a relative simple red wine with meatballs, but why not white? This Limoux from 85% chardonnay and 15% mauzac does the trick. It has a few bottle years which gives it a golden reflection. Smell with a smoky touch, impressions of tropical fruit like ananas and a royal buttery taste. — 5 years ago

Dimitri Fedotov, C.S.

Sommelier Osteria 177

9.3

Golden baked straw. Royal Sonoma. Rich and caring. Please, treat it accordingly. A special occasion Chardonnay . — 7 years ago

with Wil

Willie Carter

8.9

An attractive golden robe with plenty of bubbles. Effervescent and suitably regal. Honey and apricot aromas, along with apples and lemon zest. A nice whiff of grapefruit and pears. The floral notes are evocative and a pure delight. Needs time to warm to fully express itself but when it does it’s very nice.

The 2008 vintage is drinking so well right now and this is no exception. You’ve probably had plenty of Pommery champagnes over the years and this one is no different. Dry, with elegance and refinement. Smooth and stately, and very lively. On the palate you’ll find apple pie and stewed plums. A fine burst of citrus fruits on the long finish. Give it a few more years and it’ll be even better. — 10 months ago

Julia Proctor

9.0

Very good, pronounced sweet wine with notes of honey, yellow apple, mango, golden raisins and juicy, dripping peach. High acidity, low alc, full body. — 4 years ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Pommery’s American arm makes its debut in grand style! Straw gold in color. Small persistent bubbles with firm but quickly dissipating mousse. Big bosomy nose of quince and biscuits, echoed on the palate with a hint of yellow flowers on the back palate. Firm acidity (natch!) and a long, golden finish. As food-friendly as they come. I always wondered why my favorite Champagne house, Pommery, didn’t have an California offering like so many of its peers. It seem that they were just waiting to get it right. Priced to be the everyday sparkler while you serve the Brut Royal at occasions and hold your Cuvée Louise for those “special” celebrations. I used my first bottle to upscale my KFC! — 6 years ago

Daniel Sullivan

9.5

Brilliant golden hue.
Gunpowder and flint on the nose.
Upright acidity lime and pear palate. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Looking at the label, there is no real indication for sugar levels. However, the fact that this was a recent release of the 1989 vintage, coupled with “Botrytis” printed in large letters, one can only imagine there is a higher level of residual sugar. Indeed, there was. In the glass, the wine pours a deep golden color that’s quite bright and appears to be full of life, not dull or tired looking at all. Viscosity looked to be medium+. The nose was vibrant and sweetly perfumed with Royal Riviera pears, Jazz apples, honey and white flowers. On the palate, the wine is sweet and tells a similar story with all of the aforementioned notes from the nose being confirmed. The finish is rich, long and ensconces the taste buds in flavor. What’s most remarkable is how balanced and drinkable this wine is; the higher acid no doubt largely to thank. For those that might be wondering, this falls into a residual sugar category that Pinon considers “liquoreux” which is basically “Doux” and nearly 2x the RS of their “moelleux”. Based off this experience, I would imagine well stored examples of this wine lasting until 2089, no cap. This wine was paired with a poached turnip topped with koji, honey and a sesame granola…which worked well. However, I’d be curious how a poached pear would work instead. — 2 years ago

David Staples

9.2

Meyer lemon marmalade, tangerine pastille, canned peaches, golden apple cider, brioche, gingerbread, fresh mint. Age does wonders on this wine. — 7 years ago