Agrapart Terroirs Blanc de Blanc
$179.99
92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate for this beauty from Agrapart! The review: "Agrapart’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Terroirs is another fabulous wine. Here it is the combination of tension and weightlessness that is especially appealing. Sweet floral notes and a suggestion of mint meld into white orchard fruit in this effortless, totally gracious wine. All the elements meld together on the seamless, crystalline finish." A Kensington Wine Market exclusive, too!
Agrapart 7 Crus Champagne
$136.99
Oh, yeah. A beautiful, beautiful Champagne - and 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, too. The review: "Agrapart’s NV Brut Blanc De Blancs 7 Crus E13 – named for the seven Cote des Blancs villages from which it is sourced, and in this instance disgorged in May, 2013 – displays uncommon delicacy, buoyancy, tension and nuance for an “intro-level” cuvee, and that uncannily combined with a sense of richness and purity to its white peach and grapefruit. Almond and pistachio cream lend allure; chalk and salt along with piquancy of peach kernel and toasted pumpkin seed impart interest, invigoration and saliva-inducement to an effusively juicy, succulent and refreshingly sustained finish. Seven grams of residual sugar, incidentally, is fairly high by estate standards but perfectly complements this wine’s forward fruit without engendering any sense of outright sweetness. This exceptional value in Champagne should remain irresistible for at least the next couple of years, and I shall be anxious to experience what happens further down the pike as I revisit the bottles I recently purchased (because older “intro-level” bottles are not usually something that growers – or, for that matter, most self-styled wine collectors – can lay their hands on to pour for you)."
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve
$107.99
Located in the small village of Le Mesnil sur Oger, in the heart of the Cote des Blancs, The Pierre Peters estate has been a family run house since 1919. Growing and adapting to their forever changing vineyards, Pierre Peters produces only Blanc de Blancs, and only works with the grapes harvested from their vineyards. This is their flagship Champagne and is a blend of more than 20 years of harvests and is exclusively composed of Chardonnay from Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs. This wine is graceful and elegant, with notes of lemon, pear, white flower and acacia. The finish is persistent, with white floral notes twisting in with a touch of salinity.
Veuve Clicquot Rose
$124.99
An ode to Madame Cliquot, one of the creators of sparkling wines. Veuve Cliquot is one of the biggest names coming from Champagne, creating wines that are consistent every year. Their Rose is 44 to 48% Pinot Noir, 13 to 18% Meunier, 25 to 29% of Chardonnay, and is created from a selection of grapes sourced from 50-70 crus. This wine screams strawberries, with other notes of ripe red berries, biscuit and pastry.
Jacques Lassaigne Clos Sainte Sophie
$234.99
This wine is made from a unique plot in the middle of their vineyards with 40+ year old vines. "This wine is opulence personified. Intense laser-beams of acidity balance out the caramel notes here and the finish goes on and on for millennia. This wine pairs well with long-lived wedding anniversaries and doctoral dissertation completions, or it will make whatever random moment you decide to open one as special as either of those rare events. Extremely limited and unicorn-like."
"Jacques Lassaigne is a 4.7-hectare family vineyard located in Montgueux. The vineyards boast prime southeastern exposure and consist entirely of Chardonnay. The Montgueux vineyard sites were originally held for the Montrachet of Champagne and are located near the gates of Troyes—the former capital of Champagne. This area is technically part of the Aube department, but is much further north than what people typically think of as the Aube, in the Cote des bars which features wines often primarily made from Pinot Meunier. The terroir in Montgueux is nearly identical to the growing sites found further north in le Mesnil, as they share the same limestone vein —this is exceptional terroir for making great champagne. An intense backbone of acidity is often present in these wines, but since it is located further south than the storied Cotes des blancs, ripening is not as much of an issue. The non-vintage Blanc de Blancs is a blend of nine different vineyard sites & two successive vintages."
Jacques Lassaigne Le Cotet
$124.99
This cuvée issues from grapes of a single vineyard – “Le Cotet”. Here, the 50+ year-old vines have deeply-rooted in the chalky hillside, furthest to the east in the Montgueux vineyards. Mineral notes, very crisp, with a lemony finish. A wonderful companion to oysters, seafood and other shellfish.
"Musky apple and pear skin aromas are deepened by notes of chamomile and smoky lees. Tightly wound citrus zest and orchard fruit flavors expand with aeration, giving way to deeper nectarine, melon and marzipan. Toasted nut and lemon pith distinguish the impressively long, focused finish. This Champagne's blend of power and finesse is impressive." Vinous
Courvoisier X.O.
$236.99
Courvoisier XO is made from carefully selected and aged eaux-de-vie from the Grande and Petite Champagne regions of Cognac in France. These parcels are aged between 11 and 35 years before being blended and married together before being bottled at 40% ABV.
As of March 31st, 2019 a Cognac must be aged for a minimum of 10 years to be given the XO designation.
Ruinart "R" Brut Champagne
$121.99
This is showing impressive aromatic intensity with quite toasty, lemony and apple notes. Really taut, firm, dry and intense on the palate. This is a great oyster Champagne. Notably dry, grippy and mouth-watering. My pick for the classy New Years Eve celebration. Score - 94. (David Lawrason, winealign.com, Dec. 4, 2019)
Bulles de Comptoir Champagne
$93.99
Born and raised in Champagne, Charles Dufour converted his 6ha farm to organic practices in 2013. To limit the use of harmful chemicals like copper, he has adopted biodynamic preparations like herbal teas to limit vineyard disease. With illustrious neighbours like Cédric Bouchard, this little corner of the Côte des Bar proves they can compete with the region’s more famous sub-appellations. In fact, Charles’ Bulles de Comptoir cuvée was the house Champagne at Noma. The media often calls him ‘the Selosse of the Aube’, a worthy title for a boundary-pushing vigneron. Each vintage features a different illustration adding to its charm and anti-establishment aesthetic.