Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A cuvée I have not opened in quite awhile. Found some 375ml’s and since it was one of the few 375ml Extra Brut’s available, easy to grab a few. Enjoy this cuvée from Bouzy.

The is 80% Pinot Noir & 20% Chardonnay. Disgorged 1/23 @ 1g, making it technically a Nature on the champagne sweetness scale. Base yr 2019. For its quality, still nicely priced with ever increasing champagne pricing.

The nose reveals; ripe & macerated yellow & white stone fruits-apricots, peach, vanillin, notes of honey. Marmalade fruits, melange of white citrus’s, lime zest, very ripe pineapple, orange/tangerine blend, raspberry tones, cream, almonds with skins, brioche, baguette crust, yeasty bread dough, toast with a little butter, saline, sea shells, limestone, chalk, yellow lilies and withering white spring flowers.

The mousse is pleasant, creamy, theirs a ripe richness in the fruits. Macerated yellow & white stone fruits-apricots, peach, mango, vanillin, notes of honey. Marmalade fruits, melange of white citrus’s-Meyer lemon lead, lime zest, very ripe pineapple, orange/tangerine blend, raspberry tones, cream, soft, chewy, warm, caramel, almonds with skins, brioche, baguette crust, yeasty bread dough, toast with a little butter, white spice, dry twig, saline, powdered sea fossils, limestone/chalk powder, grey volcanic minerals, used oak tones with withering yellow lilies and withering white spring florals. Lively, crisp, rainfall acidity and a well; knitted, balanced, toned, elegant finish with smart and not overly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on an even blend of stone fruits, citruses and volcanic minerals.

Photos of; the champagne house of Pierre Paillard and owner/winemaker-Quentin Paillard. — 4 months ago

Lori Matuson

9.5

Excellent cab! Big and jammy — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy birthday Honey. 🥳🎂🎉 🌹

This is absolutely as exquisite as when we had it for Christina’s birthday March 1, 2023. The benefit tonight is time & attention to focus on it. Delicious.

Green apple, lime, lemon pineapple, stone fruits, slightly bruised golden apple and pear, leans into apple cider, cream, ginger ale, nuts w/ skin, very fine powdery chalkiness, limestone, saline, biscuit dough, sea fossils. Amazing body and acidity, fruit blossoms, jasmine, yellow florals and well; structured knitted, balanced, extremely well polished finish that lasts two-minutes. Drinking beautiful now & with time & life for 10 yrs or more. Love you Sofia.

#MaxwellThisWomansWork — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Single vineyard "Les Belles Voyes" in the famous Grand Cru hillside of Oger. Pale lemon with fine creamy mousse and tiny rapid bubble flow, long lees aging. aromas stone fruits and blossom, bread dough and citrus. On the palate flavors of golden apple, peach, lemon citrus and honeysuckle with biscuit toast and nutty notes. Long finish, full-body ending with biscuit, mineral and citrus character. Outstanding! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Well...this was one hell of a week. There is only one way to wind it down. Reach for an excellent bottle of vintage Champagne.

My first thoughts are how delicate this is on the palate. Further, how unbelievable it will be with another 8-10 years in bottle.

The nose shows; slightly sour lemon, the good parts of lemon Pledge, lemon meringue, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, brioche, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanilla, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies.

The body is light on its feet and dances on the palate. Delicacy abounds. Its soft, gorgeous mousse right there with the best money can buy. Slightly sour lemon, lemon meringue, green & with more bruised golden apple, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, touch of apple cider, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, ginger ale into cream soda, brioche, nougat, toffee notes, lighter nuts without skin, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanillin, marzipan, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies. The acidity is mellow yet lively, gorgeous and as good as it gets. The finish is all luxury. So well knitted & balanced, elegant, rich but not overpowering and gently persisting several minutes.

Photos of; The House of Taittinger, their caves so chalky white and built on the famous Crayères Cellars of Reims: 2.5 miles of tunnels (they own 1/4 to 1/3 of it) cut out of chalk by the Romans, the portrait of Thibaud IV who was a king, lord, manager, singer, conqueror, explorer & 11th century Crusader all rolled into one from which, this Cuvée was the catalyst creation and part of the 600 plus hectares they own in Champange.

Some producer notes; Taittinger's history can be traced back to 1734, when it was originally known as Forest-Fourneaux, founded by Jacques Fourneaux who worked closely with local Benedictine monks to learn how to produce wine. They were just the 3rd Champange house.

The estate was bought by the Taittingers – a family of wine merchants – in 1932, and thanks to the great depression and subsequent low land prices, the family also picked up huge swathes of vineyard. From 1945-1960, Francois Taittinger established the cellars in the Abbey of Saint-Nicaise, and after his death in 1960 his brother Claude took over, pushing the estate into a Champagne house of world renown. Such was the status of the label that the Taittinger family soon expanded its business into other luxury goods. However, this eventually led to financial difficulties, and in 2005 the Taittinger brand – including the Champagne house – was sold to the American owned Starwood Hotel Group. The sale was badly received by the Champagne industry, with many fearing the new owners – unfamiliar with the culture of Champagne – would put profit ahead of quality.

Just one year later, Claude’s nephew, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, who had always been opposed to the sale, negotiated a €660m deal with the Starwood Group, and the Taittinger family resumed ownership of the company.

In 2017, Taittinger planted its first vines in England, near a village in Kent, for its venture into English sparkling wine. The first bottle will be ready in 2023.

1/8/21 — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Now, this is a Champagne worthy of my last year in my current decade.

It’s not inexpensive but, there’s a reason for that.

From the moment I put my nose to the glass, I got a a sense of warm, inviting delicacy. There is; cream, soft ginger, fall green apples, mango, guava, slightly sour lemons, lime zest/candy, perfectly, ripe pineapple, white peach, green melons, lightly bruised pear, marmalade jam, as soft as white spice can be, grey volcanics, good chalkiness, vanillin, sea spray, lovely, melted caramel notes, yeast, bread dough to baguette crust, non funky cheese rind, toast, silvered almonds to nut skin with white & lilies, jasmine and spring flowers.

The palate enters like Tango dancers & cross-fades into ballet. Perfect richness, mousse & micro-oxygenation with gentle, absolute, perfect acidity. The minerality is fine, delicate & straight up in my wheelhouse. Cream, understated, melted butter, ginger, fall, Granny Smith apples, mango, guava, slightly sour lemons, lime zest/ peel/candy, perfectly, ripe pineapple, white peach, peach, tangerine, green melons, lightly bruised pear, some apple cider, marmalade jam, honeysuckle, herbaceousiness, a shade of mint, as soft as white spice can be, delicate, grey volcanics with limestone, good chalkiness, vanillin, sea spray, lovely, melted caramel notes, yeast, bread dough to baguette crust, non funky cheese rind, toast, silvered almonds to nut skin with, orange blossoms, white & lilies, jasmine and spring flowers. The long, amazing, well balanced finish is simply Mozart.

The 02 is a blend of 39% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay & 21% Pinot Meunier. This bottle spent at least 12 years in Krug's cellars, receiving its cork in autumn 2014.

Photos of; the House of Krug, their very tall & countless stainless steel tanks they hold still wine(s), fermenting or library bottles in their caves & Krug Clos du Mesnil Vineyard. — 6 years 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. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

If you like your champagne fresh, this still is and will get better over 5-8 yrs +.

It is fresh & lively on the palate. Excellent mousse. Meyer lemon to meringue, lime pulp w/ zest, green melon, white stone fruits, pineapple juice, mix of understated, barely ripe, honeydew/cantaloupe, frothed whole milk, sea spray, crumbled, moist chalkiness, grey volcanic minerals, white spice, some bread dough, yeast, baguette crust, touch herbaceous, yellow lilies, white flowers with greens mixed in, excellent acidity, nice structure/tension, elegant and smarty polished finish that lasts nearly two-minutes and falls spice & volcanics. — 9 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.3

Lemon, lime, cantaloupe. Burst of kiwi acid on the finish. Dough, rocks. Solid, balanced and pleasing. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

From grapes grown in the Valle de Uco, and small amount aged in neutral oak, medium lemon with aromas of stone and tropical fruits with notes of honeysuckle and bread dough. On the palate flavors of apple, peaches and pineapple with creamy texture, medium+ finish ending with fruit and mineral texture. Nice value! — 5 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.4

Complex & layered with honeyed stone fruit, nutmeg & almonds, candied lemon peel and pinch of exotic spice.
Elegant, layered, elegant and barely sweet on the palate. This is actually beautiful. Honeyed fruit, butter crusted dough, candied citrus peel.
Complex, layered, elegant, with a brilliant long finish.
This will convert anyone to naturally sweet wine! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Love half bottles of good Blanc Champagne at Costco for $18. Sure makes it feel like Christmas come early.

I’m dreaming of a wine Christmas. What’s on your list?

Really nice cuvée from Laurent-Perrier and even better price point.

Bruised apple & Bosc pear, pineapple juice, nougat with nuts, ginger ale, vanillin, white spice, sea spray, soft volcanics, easy, powdery chalkiness, bread dough to baguette, withering lilies and spring flowers. Lively acidity and well balanced, rich, elegant finish that persists minutes landing on minerals & spice.

Happy Holiday Season! 🎄🎅❄️⛄️🎁 🌟 — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Starting the long Labor Day weekend in Big Sur the right way with a little N/V Krug Grande Cuvée. @Nepenthe

Happy Labor Day weekend all! 🍾🥂

Noses reveals; heavy bruised red apple, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, lime zest, white spice, sea fossils, deep crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, white & spring flowers & mixed greens.

The palate is, ripe, lush, fresh and lively. The mouthfeel all Krug beautiful. Bruised red & golden apple with hints of cider, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, white stone fruits, lime zest/candy, white spice, sea fossils, crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, cream soda, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, spring flowers & mixed greens. The acidity is near perfect. The long, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is gentle until the long set when you get a full presence of white spice and minerality that persists for minutes.

This bottle was composed around 2011 and is made from over 120 different wines that span over 10 years. It is 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay & 17% Pinot Meunier. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Been awhile since I’ve had this one. Always consistently good.

Beautiful mousse, bruised red apple & Bosc pear, underripe pineapple flesh, blood orange, quince, nougat, hints of white peach, white spice-ginger, whipped cream, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, speckled chalk bits, grey volcanics, limestone, withering yellow lilies/flowers, crisp acidity, well tensioned-structured, well balanced and elegant finish that last two-minutes.

@BalancesRestaurant - Lucerne. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Not as bad as I remember it. It’s been a while though.

Slightly, bruised pear & red & green apple, lime zest, lemon pulp, some ginger white spice w/ a touch of heat, limestone mixed in volcanic minerals, crisp chalkiness, sea spray, yeasty bread dough, yellow & white spring flowers, lively acidity and a balanced & nicely polished elegant finish that last 45 seconds and lands on volcanics.

Emirates SFO. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — a year ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Always a great choice for a 2nd btl off the list to finish lunch. Lots of berry fruit, citrus, pastry dough in a creamy finish — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has toasted brioche, grilled lemon, warm lemon creme, lemon zest, oxidized pear slice and fresh, rising bread dough.

Palate has lemon poundcake, cold toast, limestone chips, dried lemon slice and (light) candied orange.

Great mid-palate, a restrained richness is all elegance, acid balance is perfect and not pulling you one way or another. At 15 years past vintage, a great example of finesse in Champagne.

An aptly titled, solid bottle to begin our Valentine's Day 2020 afternoon. — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.4

A beautiful, cool early Autumn evening, relaxing by a fire in the chiminea.

100% Pinot Noir, Disgorged February 2019.

Words escape me... Just wow!
(Notes later, I promise)

24 Hour Update:
Nose has yeasted dough, flat seltzer, limestone infused apple juice, hard crusted bread, oxidized red apple peel and bruised yellow apple.

Palate has tart yellow apple, saline puff pastry, faint lemon juice, limestone infused water, lemon zest with balanced acidity and a long, long finish. Outstanding.

The P-F wines always need a minimum of 24H open, 48H really if you have patience because then they open to just the most beautiful Champagne you've ever paid under $100 for, every time. No fear, the bubbles will wait over 48H so plan ahead for maximum enjoyment. — 6 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.4

Bread dough on the nose. The palate is crisp citrus, minerals, and fine bubbles. This vintage sparkler would hold its own against anything France produces at this price point. — 6 years ago

with Susan