Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

It has been sometime since I have had this white label. Nice pair with Apple Tart from the Adorable French Bakery.

The nose is; bruised apple, touch of apple cider, yellow bruised pear, lime zest, lemon juice, orange citrus with zest, tropical melons, white cream froth, brioche, white spring flowers.

The palate is fresh, ripe, juicy; bruised apple, touch of apple cider, yellow bruised pear, lime zest, lemon juice & tropical melons. Gingerale, caramel notes, honeycomb, understated white spice, sea fossils & spray, white cream, delicate chalkiness, limestone marl, almond slivers, field of white, spring flowers with both lilies, crisp, fresh, lively acidity and nicely made, well balanced finish that lasts 90 seconds. — 7 months ago

Jess

9.0

Pale straw color.
Aromas of lemon, green apple.
Dry. Tart green apple, lemon, lemon zest, mineral, subtle brioche.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 2/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — a year ago

Daniel McCullough

9.4

Really vibrant, in a good spot with plenty of brioche notes — 3 years ago

Adam Tope

9.3

Toast and brioche — 4 years ago

Orlando Müller

9.0

Strohgelb.
Komplexe Nase: Brioche, Butter, Quitte, Blüte. Etwas weisser Kakao. Orangenzeste.
Am Gaumen weich, gut balanciert, mittlerer Körper.
Abgang lang, leichter Rauch. Butter und Joghurt. Aprikose. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I like to thank @Severn Goodwin for his kindness & generosity for sending this beautiful bottle of Champagne.

We shared this with friends and paired this with apple walnut vinaigrette salad last night. Complimented the salad nicely. It was a nice yin and yang balanced tug of war of food & wine.

The body is beautiful in the mouth with nice acidity. Bruised apple & pear, some apple cider, pineapple juice, lime zest & candy, white peach, easy, soft chalkiness, soft, fine, grey volcanic minerals, sea spray, brioche with spring flowers and yellow lilies. Finishes softly, elegant, nicely balanced and persists nicely.

Photos of; the house of Caillez Lemaire, bottles waiting to sold, Current 18th century family Owners - Virginie and Laurent Van Poperinghe and one of their vineyards. — 6 years ago

E & K G

9.3

Birth year champagne! Showed a lot younger that I would have expected. The acidity kept the champagne fresh and full of zest, though the toasty brioche flavors were to die for. — 6 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Crisp and creamy with notes of toasted brioche with strawberry jam, red apple skin and rose pedals — 8 years ago

Bridget Cheslock

9.0

Rich, sourdough, brioche, and lemon curd — 9 years ago

Maj Askew

9.1

2009 vintage -- Lovely almond and yeast nose. Tight, tingly bubbles. Lemon pastry creme, cinnamon, brioche. — 10 years ago

John Willison

9.5

Sour lemon curd, brioche. Layers of fruit and yeast. — 8 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.7

Salmon with copper tones. Strawberry, white flowers, brioche and biscuit on the nose. Pink grapefruit, mandarin and dried cranberry on the finish. Superb! — a year ago

Sierra Kiner

9.2

Gold color, elegant, concentrated. Rich brioche and biscuit creaminess cut with bright underripe fruit acidity (lemon, peach). No apple notes yay. — 3 years ago

with Brennen

Ainsley

9.1

Green apple, bright citrus and brioche notes. Always a delight! — 4 years ago

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

Severn Goodwin

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony director) is leading SCHOENBERG (Friede auf Erde, Opus 13 (Peace on Earth), for unaccompanied chorus) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).

The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive moving piece, with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 250+ singers, conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one.
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!'

Nose of warmed pear, light toasted brioche and wet limestone.

Palate has warmed lemon curd spread on lightly toasted bread, chalky-saline mousse and honey over yellow apple. Finish is med-long, a beautiful effort.

Disgorged 7/2017, blend of '13/'14 with a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. Noted improvement with some additional bottle age since our prior experience (same disgorgement). — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.6

Next to Salon this is my favourite BdB vintage drop @ £114 & it's well worth it as a treat 😍

🍷 Golden straw

👃 Toasted brioche, sticky toffee pudding, butterscotch whip, charred citrus zest & crushed rock

👄 Med bodied persistent fine mousse ooozing toffee green sour apples, minerals, lime driven subtle citrus & honey caramel biscuit in med acidity

🎯 Long slight dry minerally citrus, caramel green sweet & sour apple w/ biscuity coating — 7 years ago

Berg

9.3

Nicely mature hints of butterscotch to go with the brioche and bright streak of acidity on the finish...plenty of life left. — 9 years ago

with Theresa

Rachel Macalisang

Lead Sommelier - The Bazaar by José Andrés

9.3

Rich with tones of hazelnut and brioche — 11 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.4

2004 base
Disgorged 2010
A very fresh nose of apricots, nuts, spice and brioche. Very powerful when it hits your palate. Apples, pears, and lemon zest battle for supremacy of your taste buds. Prominent acidic bite — 10 months ago

Jenn Ingle

9.5

Wow! Delicate bubbles let the chard and Pinot noir shine through. A bit of vanilla and bright lemon and brioche. Not too dry and a lovely bright mouth feel. Fantastic! — a year ago

Ian Hamel

9.2

222/5/4 with sushi. L02B02. Lemon, honey, brioche, chalk - everything is here, with a bit more depth and richness than I remember it having 5-10 years ago. For me, this is THE classicist, brut blanc de blancs standard cuvée. It’s so great to have a wine like this reasonably available and reasonably priced. — 3 years ago

Steven Perlman

9.6

Toasted brioche, hay. Amazing — 4 years ago

Megan

9.5

Loving this! Picked this up in Oakland on my way to the California coast. The wine merchant told me this is one of the few producers who still ferments in oak. I was intrigued! Tasting it, I’m totally sold. Toasty brioche and caramel on the nose, full body, roasted pear and apple cider notes on the palate. Will definitely go out of my way to buy again! (D: 3/2018) — 5 years ago

Mira Rodgers

9.8

Brioche, soft cheese, raspberry, green apple, honey, and lemon. Beautiful acidity with sweetness to balance! — 5 years ago

with Kamee, Gianna and 1 other

Ron Siegel

9.4

Disgorged in 2010 with the 03, 04 & 05 vintages. Rich with citrus, green apple & pear with lots of mineral & toasted brioche. — 6 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.1

Toasted brioche and apple crumble. Gorgeous creamy and rich and definitely needs to be consumed now. — 7 years ago

with Marie and Adrienne

Philippe Dauguet

9.0

Noisette et brioche,
Encore très jeune — 9 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.1

A nice balance of elegance and approachability. Mild fruit and nice brioche notes in the nose. — 10 years ago

Dave Smigielski

9.3

Buttered popcorn on the nose. Green apple lots of citrus. With buttered popcorn jelly bellies on the palate. Once this opens up it had a nice brioche nose as well. Very nice acidity as well. — 11 years ago