Diane M. Napolitano

9.6

From Thirst Wine Merchants. Vinegar which subsides revealing watermelon Jolly Ranchers. Would have hit hard in Peak Summer 🍉 — 3 months ago

Kim Stone

9.3

A favorite. Purchased at Denver Wine Merchants. Would buy in 1/2 cases. — 3 years ago

Helen Stickney

9.9

Purchased from Cambridge Wine Merchants. Absolutely delicious — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It is only for variety that I drink any other N/V Blanc de Blanc Grand Gru Champange. For just under $45, this is extremely hard to beat.

This is my style, primarily reductive with just the right amount of oxidative characteristics.

The nose is fresh & ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, excellent white spice, cream brulee w/ burnt top, light, salted caramel, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine.

The palate is ripe, lush, lively & dazzling fresh. Shows gentle, beautiful mousse & micro oxygenation. Ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, kiwi, grapefruit w/ a hint of sugar, white peach, honeycomb, excellent white spice with just the right even medium heat, cream brulee w/ burnt top, bruised Bosc pear, lemon meringue, vanilla bean, light, salted caramel, nougat, silvered almonds, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grippy grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine. The acidity is lively & simply perfect. The long, rich, well polished & balanced, finishes gently & persistently on the palate with soft spice in the long set.

If you can receive wine shipments from K&L Wine Merchants in SF, you owe it to yourself to order some bottles of this cuvée. They are the only retailer in the US Launois allows to rep their cuvées. Guarantee you won’t regret it.

Wine that bridges the palate from the end of white cheeses to vinaigrette salad.

Photos of, one of their Grand Cru Vineyards, House of Launois, two pics of their extensive Champagne tool & artifacts museum. — 5 years ago

Diane M. Napolitano

9.4

From Vanderbilt Ave. Wine Merchants. Cherry approaching medicinal. Would be better if warmer and sunny weather 😕 — 6 months ago

Suzanne Verhulst

9.0

Effervescent, tropical fruits, — 2 years ago

Guillermo Gonzalez

8.9

From Wine Merchants What’s Jason Drinking 1.14.22. Cherry, cedar aromas. Fruit leather, licorice. Lot of structure, chewy tannins. Killer with char grilled lamb chops. Credit to @Lars Fasel for grilling tips. — 3 years ago

Diane M. Napolitano

9.7

From Vanderbilt Ave. Wine Merchants. Lemons, vanilla, cake, dandelions, 🤤 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

BTG at Howard Street Wine Merchants. The 2017 Prapò pours a deep ruby with a garnet rim and a transparent, but nearly opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining on the tears. On the nose, this was initially funky stewed cherries, Twizzlers and tar. The fruit profile seemed to freshen up with some air and along came a dozen dark red roses, leather, dried herbs, orange zest, and some asian spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Sometimes I wonder how certain 2017 Barolo’s will age, primarily due to the heat and solar nature of the vintage. This is one that has me scratching my head. Perhaps it’s the healthy southern exposure of the Prapò MGA? It’s drinking well now on the pop and pour but I’m curious how it will show towards the end of the decade? I say drink’em. — 9 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 5 years ago