Ming L

9.3

Opulent and complex. Green apple, peach, a bit pipe apple, brioche, fresh bread dough, chalk, sea shells, and hint of toasted nuts. Savory and crisp at the same time. Splendid acidity. Super energetic mousse, though lacking a bit refinement.
Base wine is 2011, disgorged 2018. This and the Bollinger Special Cuvée are two of my favorite NV Champaign from larger houses. With 40% reserved wine averaged 10 year old, the CH Brut Reserve no doubt is a better value. — 5 years ago

Vicente Piedrahita

9.8

Spectacular toast, butter, apple... and plum? Anyway, loved it, thank you Gaetan — 5 years ago

with Gaetan

Carter White

9.2

Solid champagne, has those yeasty notes like most sparkling wine, but more like wheat in the field than baked bread. — 6 years ago

Jacynda Lavanture

9.1

Oak and butter. Paired it with a selection of oysters. — 7 years ago

with Holli

Kimberly Anderson

9.1

What a treat-2001 vintage. Scents of honey and almond. Peach, nectarine and honey. Kiss of butter and oak in the finish. — 7 years ago

Emily and Steve

9.1

$14.99 at Total Wine; very good, buttery — 8 years ago

Pam Ozaluk

9.5

Amazing!! I believe the earlier comment calling it liquid butter sums it up! — 10 years ago

Jenifer Freebairn

9.0

Tasting so fresh! Lovely layers of apple and almond butter with lingering flinty, citrusy notes. Thanks, David!! #rameywinecellars — 10 years ago

Joe Wines

9.2

07 was a bit better. Still a quintessential match for fresh crab and clarified butter. — 10 years ago

Francesco Pilo

9.0

Complex, fruity, vanilla, yeast, bread crust, well balanced, fresh, good and a ligh bitterness in the long finish @VeuveCliquotIT
— 11 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

9.4

Beautiful balanced tropical notes, touch of butter and acidity — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Four day weekend. Gotta get it off to a good start. Been awhile since we had our 375ml of Ruinart.

The nose shows, ripe, slightly candied; black cherries, strawberries, kirsch cherries, rich, summertime watermelon, touch of orange citrus family blend, pomegranate juice, hints of fruit roll up & haunting apricots. Sea fossils & spray, a little bread dough, grey volcanics, chalky powder, orange, spring flowers with fresh & withering, red & pink rose pedals.

The palate is full & touch gummy/candied. Fruits are well extracted, deep, ruby; black cherries, blackberries, strawberries, kirsch cherries, rich, summertime watermelon, touch of orange citrus family blend, pomegranate juice, hints of fruit roll up & haunting apricots. Ghostly, not quite fruit brandy or fruit liqueur character, sea fossils & spray, a little bread dough, not quite medium, white spice with hints of palate heat, grainy, grey volcanics, chalky powder, orange, spring flowers with fresh & withering, red & pink rose pedals. The acidity lively and crisp. The round, well balanced & polish finish is always consistently satisfying and lingers for minutes.

Photos of; the House of Ruinart, Dom Thierry Ruinart, nicely light caves and rolling, hillside, Grand Cru Vineyard.

Not quite sure where “D” gets $83 when you can buy this all day at just under $65. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Weekly Wednesday Wine Committee. Incredible hosting by Joe. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine, all tasted blind.

Bonus wines. My first time having this from Shafer, and it’s very down the middle. Epitomizes Cali chard. It’s not overly oaked, but certainly kissed by some. A crowd pleaser. Little bit of marzipan, lemon bar pastries and honey butter. — 6 years ago

Michael Winterbottom

9.4

New world Chablis emulation but with a little more ripe fruit character and butter notes. Butter mochi, ripe green apple, cooked apples. Really tart finish with duality if fruit character. 0 new oak usage in this wine, fermented in used oak barrels and battonage for a year. Not your typical Napa chardonnay by any means but elegant and pretty. Perfumed and pretty. — 7 years ago

Douglas Braun

8.9

Almond paste cherry fruit little toasted bread nice acidity — 7 years ago

Cody Milch

10

fresh bread — 8 years ago

Joseph C Burke

9.2

Deep gold; nose of baked nuts, double vanilla and a slight petrol note; big tropical fruits, butter, New toasty oak, concentrated but not sloppy or sweet, good structure and a bit yeasty, strong finish. Would have thought this a French Burgundy it has good power. — 10 years ago

Robert Branden Shine

9.5

Complexity!!!! — 10 years ago

Julie (WineSnobVA)

9.0

True to its name - smooth as butter. Yum! — 11 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.9

8+ years on the yeast. Incredibly complex - bread doughy, spiced apples, pear and fresh cream. Wow! — 11 years ago

Mark Mannebach

9.0

Good smooth Chardonnay with hints Apple honey and butter — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

The nose reveals slightly sour & bruised fruits. Bruised golden apple & pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, green apple, lime zest/candy, melted, salted caramel, honeysuckle, white & yellow peach, brown butter, caramelized brown sugar, hints of mint, sea fossils, grey volcanics, whiff of white spice, vanillin, bread dough, yellow lilies, spring flowers with mixed floral greens.

The palate is rich, lush, round, a touch gluey & full. Nice mousse, micro-oxygenation, slightly sour & bruised fruits Bruised golden apple & pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, green apple, lime zest/candy, melted, salted caramel, honeysuckle/honey comb, white & yellow peach, inside banana peel, brown butter, caramelized brown sugar, nougat, hints of mint, sea fossils, gritty, penetrating chalkiness, grey volcanics, some white spice with nice lighter heat, vanillin, bread dough, yellow lilies, spring flowers with mixed floral greens. Excellent acidy. The long, even, fresh, well balanced finish persists nicely and is delicious.

Nice bottle and well priced at $38 w/ deluxe gift box.

Photos of; House of Roederer, caves with A-Frames for the hand Riddlers, walk through tunnel and marquee Grand Cru vineyard. — 5 years ago

Brendan OConnell

9.2

Great Chardonnay - not too much butter or oak. — 6 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.7

Amazingly rich, bread dough, toasted almonds. Just about as rich as great Champagne can get. Complex, creamy and lasts forever. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. 6 years on lees; 6 g/L dosage — 7 years ago

Ryan Guillen

8.9

Warm Apple pear (tart) , crisp, light butter. Matt said it tastes like the skin of a apple (bitter). Served cold and wet! — 7 years ago

Joni Murray

9.0

Buttery, creamy, bright acidity, tropical fruits, toasted nuts, coats the tongue in butter. Lovely for the style, not as flabby as some chards can be. Very nice — 8 years ago

Erik Sjolund

9.1

Very dry but short taste. Bread and green apples. Mineral and a little lemon. — 10 years ago

Ken Rogers

9.0

A lovely, toasty Brut, perfect for a warm evening in Palm Springs! Some halibut is on the way and I'm guessing it will be a good pairing. Fresh baked bread on the nose, toasty fruit on the palate, nice small bubbles. Mmm! — 10 years ago

with Michael

Jacob Smith

9.1

Try a Black Banana, Guinness and this beer as a Black and Tan. It will blow your mind! — 11 years ago

Chris Blanken

9.8

Christmas ornament decorating and cake bread Chardonnay — 12 years ago