Veuve Clicquot Brut
$104.99
Philippe Clicquot founded this great Champagne House in 1772 but it was his son's wife, Madame Clicquot-Ponsardin, who made the Champagne house what it is today. She was widowed young and 'Veuve' means widow in French! Veuve Clicquot Brut is a perfect example of harmony between delicacy and power. Dominated by Pinot Noir, this wine has a firm structure, rounded with a touch of Pinot Meunier. Nearly a third of Chardonnay gives it the elegance and finesse needed for perfect balance. Shy but complex aromas of pear-apple, lemon, mineral and light toast. Veuve Clicquot is very delicate with just a touch of sweetness and a lemony, mineral finish. Terrific length.
Ruinart Rose Brut
$161.99
The history of Ruinart rosé, the very first rosé champagne to make its appearance, dates back to the 18th century. While Ruinart rosé champagne first appeared over 250 years ago, its excellent quality remains the essential feature of the production of this delicate wine to this day. 45% of the chardonnay is from the Côtes des Blancs and Montagne de Reims vineyards. 55% of the pinot noir is from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne vineyards, 18 to 19% of which has been made into red wine. 20 to 25% coming from reserve wines from the 2 previous years. The nose is subtle and fresh, first offering an original palette of tropical fruits (guava and lychee) and small berries (raspberries, cherries and wild strawberries) in the first instance. On the palate, the attack is distinct and full, cradled by a gentle effervescence. Freshly picked berries are delightfully expressed and the balance brings together a beautiful freshness and voluptuous body, expressed by an elegant bracing touch of mint and pink grapefruit.
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.
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
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.
Vilmart Grande Reserve Champagne
$105.99
Vilmart is a grower producer of the highest order. All grapes are picked by hand picked and left intact intact until they reach the traditional pressing shed. Settling is achieved by gravity to preserve quality; the juices are then delicately transferred to oak barrels and foudres (large oak casks), where primary alcoholic fermentation begins.
At Vilmart the vinification of all cuvées takes place in wood, which gives the wines their particular character, providing body, fruit, roundness and subtlety. Another characteristic of Vilmart champagnes is the absence of malolactic fermentation. This preserves freshness, tautness and subtlety, as well as the pronounced identity of the aromas.The wine is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and spends ten months in barrel prior to bottling. There is a fine balance between the primary fruit aromas, secondary (biscuit, bread, butter) and tertiary (minerals and spices) components.
JM Seleque Solessence Brut
$67.99
Henri Sélèque planted the original vines in the 1960s on the renowned terroirs of Moussy and Pierry and began bottling his wines in 1969. Richard, his son, an oenologist, brought the property into the era of modernity and technical precision while expanding the family wine heritage. Since 2008, Jean-Marc, the third generation and an advocate for more ecologically balanced viticulture, has anchored his production in the search for authenticity and expression of terroirs. Nestled between the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs, the Coteaux Sud d’Epernay offers a veritable mosaic of terroirs. On these slopes cut by the Cubry River, the three great grape varieties of Champagne flourish on varied soils–clay, sandy or loaded with flint—in which chalk is the common thread.