K L

9.0

Solid Riesling. From mom’s birthday Kurt pairing. Not sure we liked enough to get again compared to others but definitely enjoyable. Could taste the age in a good way. — 3 months ago

with Matt

Bertrand BG

9.0

Great pet nat. Nicely oxydated blend of Pinot blanc, pinot gris and pinot noir. — 6 years ago

Kristen Cook

9.8

JCB SURREALIST This is a picture of the Cab blend and his brand new bubbles I received in my shipment when I became a JCB Collector. — 6 years ago

Kelli Hogan

9.6

Rich peach and pear notes, dry finish 🍑🍐 — 7 years ago

with matt

Shay A

9.0

Wednesday Wine Committee hosted by Dan. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine. Tasted blind as usual.

The aromatics here had me thinking Charles Heidsieck. Picking up the Reserve wine was easy as it had an oxidized/toffee-nougat driven nose. 90% is from ‘06, the remaining from ‘04 and ‘05. I guessed NV French champagne with Reserve wine base. — 7 years ago

with Jeff and Dan

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose; bright cherries, ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus, oyster shells, baguette crust, understated volcanic minerals, chalk, saline, fresh pink roses and florals. The body is full and a shade gluey. The fruits are ripe, rich and candied/gummy in style. Bright cherries, black cherries ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus spray, saline, seashells, soft grey volcanic minerals, lots of grippy powdery razor sharp chalkiness, baguette crust, fresh pink roses & florals, acidity that is round and well done, understated delicate micro bubbles and a long, well balanced, rich finish. The reason why I prefer the Billecart Salmon, Ruinart & Laurent Perrier over the Bollinger is it’s a little too sweet for me. Photos of; the House of Bollinger, cellar, headstone that marks one of their vineyards and their harvest staff picking perfectly manicured rows. Producer notes and history...Bollinger has roots dating back to 1585 when the Hennequins, one of the Bollinger founding families, owned land in Cramant. Before the Bollinger house was founded in the 18th century, the Villermont family practised wine making, though not under their family name. In 1750, Villermont settled at 16 rue Jules Lobet, which would eventually become the head office for Bollinger. In 1803 Jacques Joseph Placide Bollinger was born in Ellwangen, in the kingdom of Württemberg. In 1822, he moved to Champagne and found work at the house of Muller Ruinart, which no longer exists. Many other Germans came to settle in the Champagne region, including Johann-Josef Krug and the Heidsiecks, who founded a house that would become; Charles Heidsieck, Piper Heidsieck, Veuve Clicquot and others. The Champagne house Renaudin Bollinger was founded in 1829 in Aÿ by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Levieux Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger. The partners agreed that the Villermont name would not be used on the labels, hence the house name Renaudin Bollinger. Starting when Jacques Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont, the house has been managed by the Bollinger family. Even though Paul Renaudin passed without an heir to his name, the label did not become solely Bollinger until the 1960s. Founder Jacques Joseph Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont. The had a daughter, who had two sons Joseph and Georges. These sons took over the company in 1885 and began expanding the family estate by purchasing vineyards in nearby villages. The sons also developed the image of the brand, such as when Bollinger became the official supplier to the British court and received a Royal Warrant in 1884 from Queen Victoria. In 1918, Jacques Bollinger, the son of Georges, took over the company and married Emily Law de Lauriston Boubers, known as "Lily". Jacques expanded the facilities by building new cellars, purchasing the Tauxières vineyards, and acquiring the assets of another Champagne house on Boulevard du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassign, where Bollinger's offices are presently located. When Jacques Bollinger died in 1941, Lily Bollinger took over. Lilly expanded production with the purchase of even more vineyards, but is best known for traveling the world to market the brand. Bollinger was modernized under the Claude d'Hautefeuille, who acquired additional vineyards and further developed the brand internationally. Following Claude, his cousin Christian Bizot took over the Bollinger house and expanded world distribution. Their Winemaker also used several James Bond film movies to market the brand. Bollinger is fermented in oak barrels. At harvest, only the first pressing is used in the cuvée, unless the vintage is of particularly high quality, when a second pressing of Chardonnay will be used. Bollinger sells the second pressing, the tailles. Bollinger utilizes two pressing houses (Louvois and Mareuil sur Aÿ) to ensure a short distance between harvest location and pressing. When possible, grapes purchased from growers are pressed by the house. When the pressed wine arrives, the Bollinger cellar master analyzes the musts for quality, discarding and selling off those that do not meet the house standards. The first fermentation is done cru by cru, variety by variety, preserving many of the unique characteristics of the vines location. Bollinger is one of the few Champagne houses to do some first fermentation in oak barrels. Wines that will not hold up to first fermentation in wood are vinified in vats. Bollinger Champagnes usually undergo malolactic fermentation. The Grande Année 1995 did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Bollinger uses only traditional yeast. They’ve decided that new generations of yeasts (agglomerated yeasts and encapsulated yeasts) do not produce satisfactory Champagne. Vintage wine, including all wine to be used in a Grande Année, is fermented in small oak barrels, sorted according to origin and variety. Both oak and stainless steel are used for non-vintage wine. Bollinger also has the last Cooperage in Champagne. The oak barrels are all at least four years old, avoiding the transfer of tannins to the wine. The wines are only lightly filtered. All Bollinger Champagne spends a long time on its lees, contributing to the complex flavour of the wine. Though appellation d'origine contrôlée rules only require 12 months on lees for non-vintage Champagne and for vintage (NV wines, 15 months from tirage to release and vintage wines must be kept for 36 months from tirage to release), Bollinger ages their non-vintage wines three years, and the vintage wines from five to eight years. The Grande Année and R.D. Champagnes are riddled by hand. At disgorgement, Bollinger wines are given a low dosage, to maintain the balance and flavor of the wine. The company uses 6-9 grams of sugar per liter for the Special Cuvée and La Grande Année. The extra-brut R.D. is dosed between 4 and 5 grams. After dosage, the wines are aged an additional several months, resting for a minimum of three months before shipping. Bollinger owns nearly 160 hectares of vines, producing more than 60% of its supply. The vines are largely Pinot Noir, specifically clone 386. Bollinger believes this clone ensures good quality as well as highlighting characteristics of the various terroirs. The vineyards also include some rare ungrafted French vines from before the phylloxera. Bollinger owns vines all over Champagne, including the crus of Aÿ, Bouzy and Verzenay. — 8 years ago

Matt Ragan

9.0

Tannic structure from the skin contact makes the wine — 2 years ago

with Shelley

Justin Manni

9.0

Cloudy, funky, juicy — 5 years ago

Randy Ingram

9.1

Little skin contact/oxidized thing going on. Really nice. At $22/liter it’s a great deal — 6 years ago

Mike Beltran

9.2

Elegant Pinot Gris with a moderately oily texture and off dry palate- good match to our shrimp salad. Textbook Alsatian Gris with solid acidity to match the fruit component. Nice drink 👍 — 7 years ago

with Ray and Joe

Lindsey King

9.0

Would wear as perfume happily — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Founded in 1960 by Charles Bravay (although the property actually dates to at least 1760), Domaine de Ferrand didn’t produce its first estate wine until 1995 when Philippe Bravay took the reins from his father. It’s 90% Grenache from vines nearly a century old. It sees no oak, only a combination of stainless and concrete during fermentation followed by aging in concrete vats.

Initially austere, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape presents a rugged exterior. With time its layers start to peel back and it’s hard not to notice how intoxicatingly sexy it is.

The entire spectrum of red fruit is on display, including kirsch, supple raspberry, and even a savory, pickled strawberry. The fruit is equally matched with a mix of Provençal herbs, lavender, and mineral purity, leading you down the path to its lengthy finish. Only then do you realize how tight the grip is. I’m not the first to point out the notions of heat, but in the $30s, you’ll get nothing and like it. What an exceptional value! — 8 years ago

Nicole Verhamme

9.8

Lovely, delicate, elegant. Natural yeast & apple on the nose. Heather, lavender, chamomile, basque cider, rounded out beautifully with a slight tinge of honey. — 3 years ago

Stan Nguyen

9.2

Kinda drunk when I had it. I remember it being better chilled and going well with cheese. Some funk maybe? — 4 years ago

Kristen Cook

9.0

Passion is a Red Blend by JCB. One of my “go to’s”. This is a picture of their brand new “split” bottles they’re selling at his tasting rooms in Healdsburg and Yountville. Perfect size for picnics! — 6 years ago

Kenichi Kato

9.3

Fresh&fruit, star anise fravor.
Clean, juicy, jammy.
very taisty. — 6 years ago

Daniel Orenstein

9.5

Wow - seriously I like anything I’ve ever had. Mineral sweetness, almost like marzipan. Super nutty. — 7 years ago

Benjamin Verhulst

8.9

Great orange wine, heavy maceration, red in color. Love it, but not incredibly unique for a natural orange. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is another brand from Charles Smith of K Vintners. 50% of the Frenchmen Hills spends 9 months in concrete and the other 50% spends 9 months in neutral oak. On the nose, Meyer lemon, lime, green apple, touch of sulfur, cream and yellow lilies. The palate is fresh and transitions to slightly sour. Fruits of; lemon & lime zest, overripe pineapple, grapefruit, touch of green apple, a little cream, honeycomb, body is a touch oily, yellow lilies, minerality is powdery but crisp, the acidity bright and round with a rich, slight creamy beautiful finish. I certainly like this more than the "Uncovered." — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

This is the 2015...forgot to snap a photo. Big nose of grassiness, hay, sulfur, lemon, lime and yellow florals. The flavors on the palate are much different than the nose...more fruits come through. Lemon, lime, pineapple, green apple skin, dry grass/hay, soft powdery chalkiness, big sharp acid and polished round finish. Forward of 2015, this Charles Smith brand of wine will be called "Wines of Substance." — 9 years ago