NV Henri Giraud Champagne Esprit Nature, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.  Golden in color, clear and bright with a nice mousse of tiny bubbles.  The nose has lots of peach with some strawberries and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the peach comes thru along with a touch of pineapple.  Clean, long finish.  A tasty wine that is drinking very well.  Drink over the next few years.  This is very food friendly and will go well with many foods.  It worked nicely with Thai food.  

NV Brice Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

100% Chardonnay from two parcels in Bouzy (Le Mont de Tours and Les Ramonnieres) and Grauves.  Pale gold in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose is very clean with some red apples and a bit of yeasty dough.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is crisp and leaner in style.  Granny smith apples with some minerality.  Long finish.  Very nice on its own, this is very food friendly.  It was a nice foil to baked tofu made in a "Buffalo Wings" style.  Drink over the next few years.  

2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$500.00USD

Wowza.  What a great bottle.  Golden in color with lots of tiny bubbles.  Persistent.  The  nose is great with Meyer lemon, smoke, spice, slight dried peach and a bit of a floral quality.  Deep and complex.  Full bodied.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is very structured but all the stuffing you could ask for.  A bit of lemon peel, toast, and spice.  Mature but years left.  This is great on its own but will work well with just about any food.  Delicious. Drink over the next ten to twenty years.  This would be great with Chinese food.

NV Piper Sonoma Brut Rosé, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This is a blend of 61% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 6% Pinot Blanc.  Light golden in color with slight salmon pink hues.  A nice mousse with lots of small bubbles.  Nice nose with strawberries, cranberries, slight citrus and a whiff of smoke.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, nice minerality with light cherries and some orange citrus.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but seems a bit tight.  It took a couple of hours to open, so if serving, give it an hour or so to breathe.  It is very food friendly and would be great with duck or turkey.  A really nice value a

NV Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This California Sparkling wine is made in the Methode Traditionelle way.  Interestingly, it is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  There is a nice mousse with small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, it has baked bread (Brioche?) along with a touch of lemon.  With air, some green apple scents emerge.  Medium bodied with excellent acidity.  The palate is more about minerality but also has some citrus.  Long finish that has a bitter almond (in a good way) note.  This is drinking well and should continue for another five years.  Very food friendly,

NV Piper Sonoma Brut, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This is a blend of Chardonnay (56%), Pinot Noir (37%) and Pinot Blanc (7%).  Golden in color with some faded pink hues.  A nice mousse with small bubbles.  On the nose there is some strawberries, minerals, slight green apples and slight yeast.  Full bodied with good acidity.  On the palate, lots of minerality with cherries and green apples.  Long finish.  This is quite tasty now and should drink well for another five to seven years.  Very food friendly, this would work with most foods.  It was lovely with fried appetizers.  At $23, this is an excellent value and will be a great addition to

NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé Méthode Traditionelle, Argentina, Mendoza,

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.  Salmon pink in color with gold hues.  A moderate mousse with small bubble, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with strawberries, and slight orange peel.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Less froth than the Brut.  On the palate, pomegranate and strawberry notes. Some orange notes.  Long finish.  This is ever so slightly sweet.  Drink over the next couple of years.  This would go well with Roasted Chicken or Duck.  

NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Méthode Traditionelle, Argentina, Mendoza, Tupangato Valley, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

Made from organic grapes. 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir.  Pale, silvery gold in color.  A nice mousse of tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lanolin, lemons and slight chalky note.  On the palate, this is frothy with good acidity.  Sweet/tart with green apple flavors.  Very tasty.  Nice minerality.  Long finish.  This is drinking quite well.  Drink over the next few years.  Very food friendly, this will work with just about any food you care to have it with.  It was also great with popcorn!  Great Value!

2014 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$287.00USD

This is from the good if not great, 2014 vintage.  It is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.  Light golden in color with a nice mousse of tiny bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is smoky with lanolin, toast, slight ginger and a bit of chalk.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is showing young-ish with notes of oranges, toast and an interesting chalk note especially on the finish.  Ripe.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue if well stored for another ten years.  Very food friendly, it would be very nice with lobster.  

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