Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2016 | I am learning on Nebbiolo and this is good practice material. See the description of 2016 of @Lyle Fass very adequate. A treat! — 13 days ago

DAL 9000

9.3

Big bold dark fruits plums and blackberries up front. Bold but creamy. Undertones of chocolate and tannins. Long and lush. Layers and complex. — 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.0

This wine has a pale lemon hue with a delicate mousse. 🥂 🍾

👃 On the nose, this wine has a medium intensity of bright and youthful aromas including primary notes of white peach, yellow apple, pear tart, lemon zest, white blossom, and wet stone; also secondary notes of yeast, pastry, brioche, and marcona almonds.

👄 On the palate this wine is dry (Brut), with crisp, medium(+) acidity, a light body, medium alcohol, and medium intensity of flavors consistent with the nose, but with a stronger citric focus. The finish is medium.

🤔 This wine has a high proportion of Chardonnay (40%) for a non-vintage (NV) Champagne; it also has Pinot Noir (35%) and Pinot Meunier (25%) 🍇 . It is delicate and light. This wine spent 3-4 years "on the lees." Aging "on the lees" or "sur lie" is a wine-making practice (legally mandated in Champagne!) leaving the wine in contact with dead yeast cells, a.k.a. yeast particles that were used up in the fermentation process. In Champagne, an NV wine must undergo a minimum of 15 months aging with at least 12 months "sur lie". Taittinger has exceeded these minimums, which undoubtedly contributed to the presence of yeasty, bready, doughy, toasty, pastry notes that typify Champagne. 😍😍

I love that this Champagne House remains owned and operated by the founding family (who also owns the beloved Domaine Carneros in California). 💕💕 Having a glass and you get a sense for the love and attention to quality, carrying on the family tradition of excellence, elegance, and finesse.

Did I mention @champagnetaittinger is now planting vines in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, near a village (Chilham) in Kent? This English sparkling is expected to be on the market in 2023/2024.

Cheers to always innovating, but also staying true to your roots 🙌🙌 — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2020 vintage. Tasted over the course of 1.5 hours. Medium body. Darker fruits (similar to Troplong-Mondot but less structure) evident from the get go. Plenty of upfront and mid-palate grip with things softening a bit in the later going. Picked up two bottles from Costco...seem to remember it retailing somewhere between $26-$33 a bottle. Definitely worth that pricing and beyond but this specimen wasn't hitting the high score/notes suggested by the Neal Martin review or Delectable others on this particular vintage. Maybe my palate was blown out by the previous wine...a 2019 Barolo. Perhaps. Will likely roll back and pick up two more bottles just to have laying around since it was drinking nicely anyway for the price. Was unfamiliar with this producer and a bit more "practice" won't hurt. 11.26.24. — a month ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

I’ve always had a soft spot for New Zealand Chardonnay and this wine from Martinborough supports the theory. Mid Lemon in colour. Dusty citrus and honey notes. These descriptors transfer through to the palate with white peach and medium acid. A touch of pineapple juice. Another classy Chardonnay from New Zealand. — 4 years ago

Lauren Tomaszewski Johnson

9.6

A little butter but enjoyable — 5 years ago

Valkyrie Dwag

10

My current favorite — 4 months ago

Joe Carroll

Owner/Wine Director Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm & Gotham Artisanal Provisions

9.1

Wild, perfumed HYBRID — 2 years ago

Ronald LaMascus

9.0

Eexcellent red blend! Drinking the 2019 and it’s obvious this wine is blended for immediate consumption and definitely would not age more than 4 or 5 years tops. The flavor profile is excellent with none of the varietals dominating the others. Fruity but not sweet with mild tannins and delicious finish. This would be good with beef, pork and hard cheeses. Don’t remember the price but drinks more expensive than it is. — 3 years ago

Eric Ford

9.1

Great wine in this price range. Full and complex. $30 at OWC. — 4 years ago

with Jill