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!!! — 4 days ago

Brian Tuite

9.2

Hick-up! That was tasty. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.6

The highlight of the day, and maybe of the trip, was a personal tasting with @Mike Smith , winemaker of Myriad, Carter, Becklyn, Scarlett, Ancillary and many other well known labels. Mike was kind enough to pour some of his personal label (Myriad Cellars), a Pinot from Ancillary (project he does with Mark Carter) and capped off the tasting with some Carter Cellars. The Myriad Dr Crane Elysian and Carter Weitz Vineyards were standouts of the trip so far. The Weitz Vineyard had great power and energy to it. Like Mike said, he loves making super dark wines...most were almost black in the glass. Love those kinds of wines! Charcoal, blackberry, plum on the nose and palate. Difference between this and the Dr Crane Elysian was the Elysian felt more fruit forward and in your face. Loved the restraint on this. Mike, thanks again for an amazing wine tasting! And @Martin G Rivard , thank you for connecting me with Mike! @Shawn R , good call on having Carter added to our tasting...thanks! — 8 years ago

with Mike

Alex Zaliauskas

9.0

2019. Fabulous. Quaffable. Garnet red color. Very delicate, rounded. Mixed berries, strawberries, with slight funk. Long finish. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

As a Sommelier, it’s interesting to read professional reviews. Something you need to keep up on for what consumers will be looking to buy.

As someone who attends a lot of tastings, you get to get to do your own comparisons. For me, a lot of Bordeaux. It’s my true love. I’ve been to Bordeaux eleven times. Two of them En Premiers.

When I tasted this so called critically difficult/bad vintage from Chateau Belle-Vue, I saw its potential and wasn’t wrong. Now, eleven years later, this wine is singing. While the critics haven’t tasted this wine as recently as this year, they would tell you this wine was average. It is anything but! If I put this wine in a blind tasting, I am confident many would call higher end Napa Cabernet and this is a Bordeaux producer from an ancillary region, under the radar known producer and a difficult vintage.

If I’ve learned anything about wine, it’s in all difficult vintages anywhere, there are producers who still make good wine. This one is magic for around $20 upon release. I’ve had $100 a bottle plus Bordeaux and Napa Cabernet that weren’t this good.

The nose shows, ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, black licorice, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, purple flowers, violets and faint lavender.

The body is full, round and lush. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious. The tannins are dark, round, soft, velvety and slightly tarry. Ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, tarry notes, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, dry top soil & clay, black licorice, dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, dark spice, some vanilla, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, graphite, burnt charcoal, suede leather, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, violets, dark red florals and faint lavender. The acidy round & beautiful. The finish is; ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced between fruit & earth and persistent for minutes.

The well know professional critics would tell you this wine is old or late. I will tell you, from my storage, it’s has another 7-10 years of life ahead of it.

Have it with a good butchered Ribeye (not store bought) seasoned with coarse ground garlic salt & pepper.

Photos of, a modest Chateau Belle-Vue, the beautiful backside of the chateau, barrel cellar and Estate vines.
— 7 years ago

David Rubinoff

9.2

Another Mr. Smith winner!!! — 8 years ago

Joshua Fisher

9.4

Winemaker / owner shown — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.3

WNH event number 3...new world Pinot. Such a treat to experience the many different variations of Pinot!

Another producer I’ve never heard of. Familiar with this vineyard from Mike Smith’s Ancillary label. This is a dark, extracted and flavorful Pinot. Black cherry, blackberries, graham cracker and licorice. Thanks for the intro @Mike R — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others

Naoki Otani

9.1

初日から美味しい
6.27.2018 Kazu — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

Needed something to ease the pain of leaving Napa tomorrow. Some extraordinary sites, exceptional wines, and even better people...
Theorem Vineyards
Arkenstone Vineyards
Frank Family Vineyards
Ashes & Diamonds
Carter Cellars
Envy Wines
Ancillary Cellars
Ovid
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Outpost Wines
Volker Eisele Family Estate — 7 years ago