Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The images aren’t flashy like Krug, Billecart or Ruinart etc. but, if you want a really nice, well priced Blanc de Blanc Champagne, this is for you. At, $24.99, I would challenge anyone to find another Champagne let alone a good one at this price point. As well, an equal Cremant or sparking wine in the same price range. Exceptional QPR here!

The nose is bright and fresh. Crisp green apple, lighter color citrus, overripe pineapple, orange peel and spray, touch of golden apple, touch of bruised pear, ginger notes, vanilla cream soda, caramel notes, spice, hints of baguette crust, honey, darker minerals with chalk, sea spray, fruit blossoms and withering yellow lilies.

The wine brings rich, reductive freshness and substantial acidity to your palate. Crisp green apple, lighter color citrus, overripe pineapple, orange peel and spray, under ripe green melon, touch of golden apple, light bruised pear, ginger notes, vanilla cream soda, caramel notes, marzipan, white spice, hints of baguette crust, honey, darker minerals that press the palate deeply with teeth & heat, nice chalkiness, sea spray, fruit blossoms with withering yellow lilies. The finish is quite nice with richness and goes on and on and on.

Photos of; the House of Baron Fuentes, Chardonnay grapes being harvested and Eric De Brisis, the proprietor for Baron Fuente, which is owned by Ignace Baron.

Baron Fuente is a Champagne negotiant that also owns thirty-eight hectares of their own vineyards. They are located in a village called Charly at the far western edge of Champagne. The side closest to Paris. — 7 years ago

Velma Cooper

9.0

Velma had this 9 years ago

Jordi Pazo

9.2

Bar Charly.
14.12.16 — 9 years ago

Brayden Winkler

9.5

Earth wine, cherry notes, mint, pinefruits, mushroom... quite a complex, robust flavour — 9 years ago

Paul Truszkowski aka Vinophil

10

Fare well Charly — 10 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.3

Gang of Four son. Started his own thing at 22. He knows how to treat Gamay. Looking forward to growing old with these. — 11 years ago

Sean Smith

9.6

Context counts — 12 years ago

Rudy Van De Water

9.4

Very long after taste — 9 years ago

Erik Nordman

9.4

Awww shit, my first Rougeard! So stoked on this. As a Loire Cab Franc nut, getting to taste this is amazing and it definitely lives up to expectations. Hope I can get my hands on a bottle of Les Bourg or Les Poyeux sometime, because even this appellation-level bottle is insane. This pours a ruby-garnet hue of medium (-) to medium concentration, fading to a burnished pink rim that is just starting to show signs of age. Moderately concentrated, elegant, ethereal nose of perfectly-ripe wild raspberry and blackberry, crushed rose petals, graphite and pencil shavings, lightly grilled green bell pepper, and a smidge of already really well integrated new oak that comes across in this particular wine as a subtle espresso undertone. On the palate, the fruit character is ever-so-slightly underripe (in a positive, refreshing manner) and there's an extra shot of cool graphite mineral intensity but otherwise is pretty congruent with the nose. Perfect amount of pyrazine character; enough to add complexity and freshness yet doesn't dominate at all. Medium (-) to medium body, medium (+) acid, and medium to medium (+) intensity of incredibly fine grained, supple tannins. Insane complexity and length. Honestly between the oak and incredibly skillful phenolic extraction, the texture is the most intriguing thing about this wine. Definitely worth the hype. I somehow managed to snag his for under $100 too so I'm pretty stoked on that too, haha. Definitely could keep going in the cellar for a while but honestly still delicious now especially if you give it some air. Some pretty incredible stuff. Also, RIP Charly Foucault. — 9 years ago

with Cassie

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Villa Symposia is the Languedoc label from Éric Prissette, the founder of Château Rol Valentin. The winemaking is overseen by Stéphane Derenoncourt. And from what I gathered, L'Origine is the flagship, or at least 'the' high-end cuvée here. The importer label indicates it's 95% Syrah, 5% Grenache (but a blog post from Taste Languedoc mentioned Carignan was added to the blend in 2012). The Syrah comes from the oldest vines of the estate, ~50 years old.

Opens with a noticeable amount of Brett, which can go either way for me. I view Brett like abstract art... done well and it's a beautiful lens to which to view a wine. However, when it's done poorly it's shit (literally). This was done very well. The pungent barnyard, stinky cheese, and saddle leather arrive heavily seasoned with baking spices, noticeably cinnamon, and herbs, including rosemary and tarragon. Ripe, dark bramble fruit, lavender oil, and pine resin pervade the palate and continue through the lengthy and structured finish. An extraordinary mix of the old and new world, while maintaining a clear sense of terroir, and providing an intensely vivid experience. It really hits its stride after 1.5 hours. Fair warning, if you don't like Brett at all then I wouldn't recommend this wine... however if you've ever liked a wine because of Brett, I suspect you'll enjoy. — 9 years ago

Alex Bonafé

9.1

Rosso granato intenso, prugna e cuoio, robusto ma molto elegante e ben bilanciato. — 10 years ago

EatSommThings (Jimmy)

9.2

Chalky black fruit and a fair amount of development but maintains quite a bit of fruit. Showing well — 10 years ago

with Howard and Diana

J McBudd

9.3

Drinking the 2007 (half bottle size) but date wasn't an option. Light peppery taste and great choice to start the evening. — 11 years ago

Steve Tishco

9.1

Buttery, minerally, lemon peel, very well balanced — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, bright, lean, ripe cherries, dark cherries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranate juice, vanilla, cinnamon, very light spice, wood shavings, loamy soils, dry stones, and bright red fragrant florals. The mouthfeel is lean for Bordeaux. The tannins are lighter than dusty...so resolved. You can tell this is 70% Merlot & 20% Cab Franc as the cherries are singing in harmony better than the group America on the album "Horse with No Name" or for you kids "Fifth Harmony." The rest of the fruits are equally amazing, bright, lean, ripe; cherries, dark cherries, strawberries, cranberries & pomegranate juice. Vanilla, cinnamon, very light spice, wood shavings, loamy clay soils, dry, crushed, fine powdery rocks, dry stones & bright red roses/florals. This wine is pictured in the dictionary under pure elegance. The soft, round, acidity pours over the palate. The fruit driven finish goes on and on. I'm not sure this is going to continue to improve. I think it has about 5 years of good drinking left. Producer notes...Chateau Fleur Cardinale was purchased by Dominique and Florence Decoster in 2001. Prior to buying their first Bordeaux wine estate, they were in the fine porcelain and China business in the Limoges region of France. Chateau Fleur Cardinale is located next door to Valandraud & Rol Valentin & near Chateau Faugeres. Fleur Cardinale takes its name from the myriad of roses and other flowers that are planted around the estate. The 24.5-hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Fleur Cardinale is planted to 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The oldest Merlot vines are 60 years old and vineyard average is 40 years. The soils of their terroir are clay over limestone. Since 2013, the vineyard is farmed using organic, self-sustainable techniques. For the vinification, the juice undergoes a cold maceration at 5 degrees Celsius for 5 or 6 days. This is followed by alcoholic fermentation and a warm maceration for 2 to 3 weeks. All the pumping over is done by gravity, which avoids stirring the musts and stressing the yeasts. Chateau Fleur Cardinale is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. It is also good paired with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta. Photos of, the Chateau and estate vines, beautiful fruit waiting to be delivered to the Chateau and pressed, the gate entrance and barrel room. The 05 vintage is as beautiful as advertised and drinking better than the 2000's I've had in the last two years. This 05 is a steal for just under $50 when I purchased it in 2007.
#SteakandClaretNight — 9 years ago

Hank Didier

9.2

Another bottle with Charly at the lake:) — 10 years ago

Thomas Yoo

9.2

It was very good with seafood. Especially the price but only available in France. — 10 years ago

with Rachel

Colin Rudy

9.5

Beautifuly complex - flowers, spice, bright, balanced. A revelation. — 11 years ago

Brian Cronin

Master Sommelier & Educator

9.7

Ba-rol- OH! — 13 years ago