Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Nice. Lots of micro, fine, precision bubbles. Leans just into a soft oxidative style.

Slightly bruised, apple & pear, touch of apple cider, lemon chiffon/meringue, understated pineapple juice, tropical melons, lime zest, white stone fruit, fluffy whipped cream, bread dough, white spice, some oyster, sea fossils, crumbled limestone, sharpe toned, chalk powder, white spice, dry top soil layered over the top, excellent acidity, nice, round, evenly tensioned, well balanced, elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and lands evenly on fruit & earth. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Slightly over-achieves its price point of $39.99. Happy Holidays.

Lemon meringue, pineapple juice, lime zest, tropical melons, white & yellow peach, bruised apple to cider, bruised apple, hues of golden apple, caramel notes, cream to whipped, brioche, white spice, crumbled, dry chalk, limestone marl, sea spray to fossils, white spring flowers, yellow lilies, racy acidity, nice balance, neatly tensioned finish that lands on minerality and lasts a full minute. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Nice soft mousse body, yellow peach, tropical melons, pineapple, some lemon meringue, lime zest, slightly bitter apple cider, whipped cream, hard chalkiness, alluvial limestone, saline, sea fossils, bread crust, yeastiness, yellow florals, racey acidity, nicely balanced & structured with a finish that lasts 90 seconds.

Needs a few more years in bottle. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This 2000 spent an incredible 15 years on lees. Bottled in 2017. This cuvée is roughly 2/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is from the Montagne de Reims - Mailly, Cumières and Vertus. 35% Chardonnay in from the Côte des Blancs (the best region for Chardonnay)- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Avize, Vertus. 10% oak.

The body is thick, heavy and creamy with that much time on lees. The fruit has settled and the complexity has arrived. Bruised apple & pear, a touch of apple cider, pineapple if it were an oil, an array of soft citrus- lemon, lime, orange peel, tangerine, ripe, juicy, yellow peach, some blackberries, marmalade, meringue, cream, malt, some caramel notes, brioche, baguette crust, sea fossils & spray, limestone marl, fine powdery chalkiness w/ speckles of grain, white spice-ginger, withering yellow flowers, excellent acidity, well knitted, perfect tension, balance and a long finish that lasts minutes. — 2 years 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

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Some days are better than others to pop a bottle of champagne and drink a toast. Today is one of those better days! Cheers! 🍾🥂

Excellent with roasted chicken & mash potatoes.

Meyer lemon, lemon meringue, lime w/ zest, red & green apples, hints of apple cider, kiwi, green melon, ginger ale, whipped cream, caramel notes, bread dough, yeasty notes, vanillin, alluvial limestone, sea spray, refined chalkiness, yellow lilies, spring flowers, round yet crisp acidity, well; balanced structured & tensioned. Elegant and smartly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds. From 375ml. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Small grower production…only 900 bottles. All fermented in neutral oak. You sense that as soon as you smell it and definitely on the palate. Slightly bruised pear and apple, apple cider, ginger ale, malt, older mixed citrus-grapefruit dominate, bread dough, yeastiness, crumbled chalk & limestone, sea fossils, saline, mixed withering lilies, round acidity, excellent structure, balance, tension, length and nicely not over polished finish that last minutes and lands on beautiful minerality. As good as it is today, room for improvement going forward. Hold at least three years. @ K&L Champagne tasting. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy New Year! 🎉🎈🎆🎊 🧨

From Mag. 96 an excellent vintage. Magnum is the preferred storage for Champagne.

You can sense the age from the very first sip.

Nose has a little bruised apple & pear, apple cider, dry apricots, malt, notes of caramel, sugar in the raw, cream, sea spray/fossils, understated lemon/lime pulp, slightly fermented pineapple, white spice, baguette crust, graham crackers, withering yellow flowers, lilies.

The palate is bruised apple & pear, apple cider, dry apricots, malt, notes of caramel, sugar in the raw, cream, sea spray/fossils, understated lemon/lime pulp, slightly fermented pineapple, yellow melons, white spice, baguette crust, graham crackers, hints of understated maple soda , limestone marl, crumbly, moist, white chalk, withering yellow flowers, lilies, perfect, racy acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure and a smartly polished finish that last minutes and falls in white spice and minerals. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

It has been sometime since I have had this white label. Nice pair with Apple Tart from the Adorable French Bakery.

The nose is; bruised apple, touch of apple cider, yellow bruised pear, lime zest, lemon juice, orange citrus with zest, tropical melons, white cream froth, brioche, white spring flowers.

The palate is fresh, ripe, juicy; bruised apple, touch of apple cider, yellow bruised pear, lime zest, lemon juice & tropical melons. Gingerale, caramel notes, honeycomb, understated white spice, sea fossils & spray, white cream, delicate chalkiness, limestone marl, almond slivers, field of white, spring flowers with both lilies, crisp, fresh, lively acidity and nicely made, well balanced finish that lasts 90 seconds. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Lovely. Spent sometime in neutral oak. Apple cider-green & dominate red, bruised pear, overripe pineapple juice, tropical melons, ginger ale, white cream, some overripe white peach, saline, sea fossils/spray, limestone alluvial minerals, bread dough, yeastiness, moist/wet chalkiness, yellow, white flowers, excellent, round, acidity, well; knitted, structured, nicely tensioned, balanced & evenly polished finished that lasts two-minutes. — 2 years ago