Tom Kobylarz

9.1

Exceptional value and one of the best (was even better before tariffs) qpr under $50 classy grower champagnes.

Fruit is from all premier cru sites in the Côtes des Blancs.

Vintage NV
Terroir: chalk | organic practices
Fermentation stainless steel: tanks | full malolactic

Aging: stainless steel | secondhand Meursault barrels | in bottle under crown cap
Varietal(s) 3/4 Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier | 1/4 Chardonnay
Dosage: +/- 5g/l dosage

Vineyards & Viticulture
The vines are entirely worked by hand with careful training and thinning in order to aerate and allow for good ventilation of the grape bunches. Stephane does not employ herbicides and places an importance on a culture of high environmental value.

Harvest & Vinification
Vinification begins with selected yeasts, stirring on fine lees, malolactic fermentation done with cold stabilization to avoid any tartaric precipitation, and an aging of 3 and 1/2 years.

Stéphane Coquillette is a fourth-generation winemaker in Champagne. His late father, Christian, ran Saint-Chamant from 1950 until 2020, and he encouraged his son out to start his estate when Stéphane was 25. Mentored by his father, Stéphane was instilled with the desire to be a winegrower- dedicated to working the land and producing authentic, expressive, terroir-driven wines under his namesake Estate. He developed a different style of expression at his own house, creating fresher, drier Champagnes, primarily from Chouilly (Grand Cru), Cuis (99% 1er Cru) for Chardonnay, and d’Aÿ (Grand Cru) and Mareuil/Aÿ (99% 1er Cru) for Pinot Noir. Meticulously committed to organic practices, Stéphane avoids herbicides at all costs. Farming is done by hand, including trellising and pruning, which helps prevent disease and allows for a healthy crop. With more than ten different parcels, he produces several single-vintage and single-vineyard Champagnes — a rarity in this region — and all his wines are small-production. Stéphane Coquillette Champagnes are characteristically precise, fresh and lively.
— a month ago

Willie Carter

8.9

Light clear straw color in the glass. A fine stream of minuscule bubbles. A very precise and fine mousse with underlying creaminess. You immediately get the message that this is really a very nice Chablis with bubbles. The nose is initially dominated by bright and lively citrus fruits that are just plain uplifting. Some really nice gingerbread and cinnamon aromas begin to emerge slowly. A kick of white pepper and butter. This is one you could honestly just take in for a long time.

A Blanc de Blancs from Grand Cru territory in Tours-sur-Marne. Aged for eight years and disgorged in November of 2020. With a Brut dosage of 6.5 g/l, the acidity is not bracing but it sure is present and welcome. The vinous nature of this champagne is exceptional. Just so nice and clearly terroir driven. Impressive complexity and depth to be found here.

On the palate, there’s a bit of smoky wood to get the party started. Yellow apples and quince, along with pears and peaches. Orange peel and mango shine. A bit of chalk and wet stone minerality just for added measure. This performed well in the Riedel Winewings Champagne glass, allowing it the air to truly blossom. — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.5

There are so many exquisite grower champagnes available but every now and then a producer just manages to enrapt you. And then they keep doing it. A plethora of fine bubbles in a shimmering light golden robe. Floral aromatics up front with white flowers and violets up front. Really nice tropical fruits combine with spices. Red fruits and chalky minerality with just a bit of fresh yeast.

Grower Champagne from Festigny that practices biodynamic methods in the vineyard. 100% Pinot Meunier, bone dry and I wouldn’t have it any other way with these wines. Customary low dosage of between 2 and 5 g/l. One of the true masters of Meunier, there’s refinement and elegance here but also some rusticity and such a strong representation of the terroir. Half and half from the 2014 and 2015 vintages and disgorged in August of 2019.

In such a good place at the moment, this is drinking splendidly. The palate features honeysuckle and pineapples, along with lemon zest. Fresh herbs, more spice, and greenery. Long, powerful finish. Austere but oh so lovely, this may not be the champagne for every palate but if you’re an acid freak you will be in heaven. A favorite of mine for a good reason. — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Castello di Amorosa Gewürztraminer 2016
Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview:
A dry, aromatic Gewürztraminer from Castello di Amorosa’s cooler Anderson Valley estate—often dubbed California’s Alsace thanks to its ideal coastal climate and terroir . This iteration is crafted in a near-dry style (≈7.3 g/L residual sugar), offering a fragrant and spicy profile that’s both refreshing and intriguingly complex.

Aromas & Flavors:
Notes of lychee, rose petals, apricot, and exotic spices beautifully unfold on the nose. The palate mirrors this aromatic profile, with a spicy ginger finish that lingers delicately.

Mouthfeel:
With supple acidity and a smooth, balanced texture, this Gewürztraminer feels lively and approachable—bright enough to refresh, yet layered with enough depth to intrigue.

Food Pairing:
A stellar match for spicy cuisines—think Thai or Indian—where its floral and spice characteristics complement and elevate complex flavors. It also pairs beautifully with aged cheeses or richly flavored white meats.

Verdict:
This Gewürztraminer is a striking example of the grape outside its European heartland—dry, elegant, and expressive. It’s floral and spicy without sweetness overpowering, making it a standout for aperitifs or paired with bold, savory dishes. A refreshing and refined Californian twist on Gewürztraminer. — 3 months ago

Alan Weinberg

9.0

2021 base, 2 g/l dosage. Nice but needs time. — a year ago

Willie Carter

9.0

Light shimmering gold in the glass with a plethora of small, profuse bubbles. Primarily Pinot Noir and that’s clearly evident on the nose. Peaches and plums with a strong infusion of dried strawberries and red cherries. Apples aplenty with cinnamon rolls and toasted nuts.

One of the more esteemed growers, Paul Bara produces nothing but exemplary champagnes including this entry level bottle. Unmistakably Bouzy, their wines always represent the terroir and terrain so very clearly. 80/20 PN/CH with a dosage of 7 g/l and disgorged in September of 2020. The kicker here is the 50% of reserve wines they use for the final blend. Just astonishing and makes a huge difference.

The acidity here is tight with a bit of zip but mellows out over time given air. Nice harmony and balance, as usual. Apples and cherries dominant on the tongue. Creaminess abounds with medium spice and hazelnut. Amongst entry level grower champagnes, there just aren’t many better than this. Always an instant buy. — 4 years ago

Fredybeans

9.4

Robe jaune soutenue
Nez somptueux avec du beurre de al noisette fraîche
Bouche précise longue
Manque juste un terroir plus noble pour la profondeur
Très belle tenue à l air — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

For me, there are a lot stories associated with this little brother to Leoville Las Cases. Made by the same technical team, but certainly a different terroir.

Older vintages that were brought in by Clyde Beffa at K&L Wine Merchants kept me from opening my more expensive-younger Bordeaux in my collection. Starting w/ the 97 vintage well after its original release, I believe they sold through two lots of 5,000 cases over different years. A vintage crushed by critics. But with some long time cellar, value & quality. Magic!

This has always shown me QPR and to be a great fatty steak wine- Ribeye or Ribcap.

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage, critically not well reviewed. With basically 16 yrs plus in bottle, more special.

This has really come around and still ascending. Ripe, elegant, lush; dark currents, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry skin, black plum skin, poached strawberries, black, rich, turned earth with dry leaves, moist & dry clays, graphite, tobacco w/ ash, slightly used leather, dry river stone, limestone minerals, dry top soil, pepper, some sweet tarriness, mix of fresh & dry herbs, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & understated vanillin, dry, withering, dark & red florals, nice acidity with good tension, structure, finally balanced & elegant finish that lands squarely on soften earthiness, some spice and lasts two-minutes.

This still has 15 years plus of life ahead.

Paired with Costco Prime Ribcaps. — 5 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2017 | Blanc de Noirs from 60% pinot meunier and 40% pinot blanc. Dosage 10g/l. Vinification and ‘elevate’ in barriques. Calcareous terroir. Very fresh and full bodied. We had it with a sardinemousse as a starter and today with our scrambled eggs for breakfast. — a year ago

Willie Carter

9.3

These Pierre Gimonnet champagnes are always of the highest quality from the Côte des Blancs and with terrific prices. An original member of the Club Trésors de Champagne, the Special Club, and an easy buy, each and every time.

The color of starlight on a cloudless night. A surplus of tiny bubbles and persistent perlage throughout. A very clean and focused nose showcasing lemon peel, pears, and sea salt. Vanilla custard and pronounced smoke. Hazelnuts and freshly baked dough with a nice dose of spice. Apples of the green and red varieties.

Some love has to be shown to the labels. Classy metal front label and an ultra informative back label. Pure Chardonnay from the Grand Crus of Cramant (59%) and Chouilly (25%) with the rest coming from the Premier Cru terroir of Cuis. The acidity here is outrageous and highly focused, really beautiful. Very pure and creamy. Disgorged in December of 2019 with an Extra Brut dosage of 4 g/l.

Everything carries over to the palate. A very complex and harmonious champagne. Fresh and bold with more apples and spice. Strong minerality and yeast here. Long, enduring finish. This definitely lives up to the standards of Gimonnet and the Special Club. Don’t sleep on these 14’s, they’re alive and kicking. — 4 years ago