Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Black fruits, liquorice, pepper and animal smoke notes. Racy Saint Joseph, on youth. Nice delicacy, without the persistence of the greatest wines in the region. To be tested again in 2 years, to taste it on nuanced notes.

Fruits noirs, réglisse, poivre et notes fumées animales. Saint-Joseph racé, sur la jeunesse. Belle gourmandise mais sans la persistance des plus grands crus de la région. A tester à nouveau dans 2 ans, pour le goûter sur des notes nuancées. — 4 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2015 vintage. A project started in 2011 by Olivier Bernard (of Domaine de Chevalier fame) in Sauternes from vineyards in 3 different terroirs (Sauternes, Barsac and Bommes). Contrary to classic white Bordeaux, Sémillon is king here, reflecting in this 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon blanc blend, aged in French oak. Lune d'Argent is the middle range of the estate and the heart of the production. It stands for amazing value. Drinking beautifully now, but I suspect this will age gracefully for at least another 5 years. Light brilliant yellow. Very attractive nose combining exotic fruit with minerality, flowers and brioche. Juicy fresh pineapple and grapefruit, balanced mouth-watering acidity and perfectly integrated oak. This shows the potential of great dry white wines in the Sauternes region, where the famous sweet wines are sadly suffering from low demand in lethal combination with high production costs. Grab this one by the case at only 17,90 euros. Abv. 13%. — 6 years ago

Jason Guyett

9.3

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut. Honestly, super impressive. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the grand cru village of Verzenay in the Champagne region of France. So given the fact that real “Champagne” only comes from France and has strict rules about its production, it’s spectacular that Costco has gone all out with making a great tasting affordable Champagne.
All that being said, I’ve never been the best at pin-pointing Champagne notes. I get a pale, straw taste that’s crisp and refreshing. Will definitely be purchasing again. — 7 years ago

Ivonne Nill

8.9

Dark and brooding but still easy to drink, this this Beaumes de Venise Cru shows the potential of the region. Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre, 14.5% ABV

Production details: 100% destemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation in concrete tanks, daily pumpovers and punching down during maceration, 1-2 rack & returns during fermentation, no chaptalization. Maturation 18 months in concrete, no fining, pre-filtration at 5g, SO2 at harvest abd bottling 2g/hl. Total SO2 target 40-50mg/L. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is Gaston’s Special Club. What does it mean when a Champagne is labeled as Special Club?

The Special Club, or Club Trésors de Champagne, was originally founded in 1971 by 12 of the oldest families of the Champagne region. Since then, the club has grown to include 29 producers committed to excellence in all aspects of production. This exclusive membership is only open to Recoltant Manipulants (a French designation for a producer of grower Champagne). Champagnes must be produced, bottled and aged at the member’s estate. The Special Club Champagnes represent the tête de cuvée (a premier bottling often carrying a vintage date) selection for each member.

Special Club Champagne designation means they are only made in outstanding vintages from grapes harvested from member’s own vineyards. Each producer must submit his wine to two blind tastings panels of esteemed oenologists and wine professionals. The still wines (vins clairs) are tasted first and if approved may be bottled in the uniquely-shaped Special Club bottle before undergoing secondary fermentation.

After a minimum of three years aging on lees, the wines are tasted again for final approval.

On the nose; green apple, bruised Bosc pear, touch of golden apple, pineapple, cream soda, light citrus, sea shells/spray, brioche, gray volcanic minerals, soft chalk, spring flowers & citrus blossoms.

The palate is soft, delicate, subtly rich with micro oxygenation. Green apple, bruised Bosc pear, bruised golden apple, pineapple, cream soda, light citrus, sea shells/spray, brioche, gray volcanic minerals that have teeth and dig deep into your palate, soft powdery chalk, spring flowers & citrus blossoms.

Photos of; the house of Gaston Chiquet, cellar-hand hand riddling bottles, Owner/Winemaker Nicolas Chiquet inspecting bottles and one of their Grand Cru Vineyard.

Producer notes...Nicolas farms 23 heactares in the Valle de la Marne in the villages of Ay, Dizy, Hautvillers and Mareuil-sur-Ay. All of the fruit (including that which is used in the non-vintage cuvee) comes from premier and grand cru grapes. Nicolas does not employ any oak aging at Gaston Chiquet; he believes that concentration, fruit maturity and malolactic fermentation impart enough body and texture to make aging in barrel unnecessary.

The vineyards are planted to equal (forty percent each) parts chardonnay, pinot meunier and twenty percent are planted to pinot noir. Gaston-Chiquet. He also produces a vintage dated chardonnay from 5 parcels on the western side of the grand cru village of Ay. Usually recognized as a grand cru village for pinot noir, these vines of chardonnay were planted in Ay in the 1930s.

In 1919, two brothers, Fernand and Gaston Chiquet winemakers came together to create their house Chiquet Brothers. They were ‘pioneers’ in Champagne, the very first winemakers to take the initiative, bold at the time, to keep their grapes, turn them into Champagne and sell their own wine. Nicolas Chiquet planted his first vines in 1746, and since then eight generations have have managed their house. Gaston Chiquet registered the company in 1935 and expanded the property with land in Aÿ, Cumières and Hautvillers. Gaston Chiquet is best known for making the only blanc de blancs from the Pinot village of Aÿ. Aÿ was the big name in the area long before wines became sparkling, and many were the kings and popes who counted Vin d’Aÿ as their favorite wine. The vineyards slope down steeply to the village by the Marne River, and the best locations are just over the town, sheltered from the wind and with maximum exposure to the sun. — 8 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.5

One of the casualties from the Napa fires in Atlas Peak region. Coliseum Block burnt to a crisp. (Bottom right photo). This is one of Arkenstone’s ventures outside of Howell Mountain. Winemaker Sam Kaplan says ‘hold on all of your stock because it will take a while to get this vineyard back to full production’. Sad to hear because Coliseum Block was full of depth in color, texture and complexity. — 9 years ago

with Ryan and Katherine

Romain Fitoussi

9.1

Very nice interpretation of the gamay, balanced from one end of the tasting to the other. Blindly, we are in a triangle somewhere between Loire, Burgundy and Beaujolais (or PN from Alsace) The finish is carried by a very beautiful mineral weft unusual in this region. Nice finesse. Very good value for money/pleasure.

Très belle interprétation du gamay, équilibré d’un bout à l’autre de la dégustation. A l’aveugle, on est dans un triangle quelque entre Loire, Bourgogne et Beaujolais, (ou même un Pinot-noir alsacien). La finale est portée par une très belle trame minérale peu courante dans cette région. Belle finesse. Très bon rapport qualité/prix/plaisir. — 5 years ago

Shun Kikuchi

9.0

for me it has its own style of both relatively sharp acidity & slightly faded fruitfulness, like Grand Reserva. it seems it needs more time like at least 3-5yrs for matured pleasant cedar and forest like aromas.


PRODUCTION
Fruit is sourced from a variety of sites ranging from the sandy gravel soils of the Firgrove and Raithby ward to sandy/loamy granite soils of the Jonkershoek ward. In essence, it is a blend of Stellenbosch Cabernets showing the variety of terroirs to be found, all harvested by hand at optimal ripeness. Five days fermentation in open concrete tanks with temperature control and regular manual plunging and pump-overs. The malolactic fermentation was carried out in lined concrete tanks after which the wine was transferred to 225L French oak barrels (25% new oak) where it was matured for 20 months. — 6 years ago

Connor Smith

9.5

#Nebbiolo is a surprisingly rare grape. Even in its native Piedmont, it accounts for only 8% of vineyard land. There are fewer than 100 hectares planted in the United States. 🕵️‍♂️🍇
Over 80% of prewar Italian immigrants came from Sicily and Southern Italy. Piedmont was the wealthiest and most politically dominant region. But if fortunes were reversed, could Nebbiolo have taken Primitivo/Zinfandel’s place as a grape relatively uncommon on the boot but dominant in California? 🤔🇮🇹🇺🇸
Probably not. The Nebbiolo vine is *not* for beginners. It flowers early and ripens late, making it susceptible to both spring and autumn frosts. It loves the occasional fog bath (some say the name is derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog ☁️☁️☁️) but is prone to the mildew that may result from such humid conditions. Its fussiness would make Pinot Noir blush: it demands southwesterly exposure, a proper gradient, constant sun above, and fog licking at its toes. #diva
Sound anything like California’s Central Coast? 🌅
In the Santa Maria Valley, where the East-West Transverse Range bends back into the North-South Coastal Range, it’s possible. Vineyard selection still requires extreme discretion - an eye like @JimClendenen’s, perhaps.
Jim began the Nebbiolo program at the legendary #BienNacido vineyard in 1994. Production is small, but if you track down his “The Pip” Nebbiolo, it will only run you about $30. You’ll believe anything is possible when you have real California Nebbiolo of this quality come wafting out of the glass at you! 🙌🙌
🏞.“The Pip” is named after Jim’s old cellar dog Pip, a border collie. So it only seemed right to include one of our own pips! 🐈 — 7 years ago

Camille Puglia

9.2

Small, selective production of Valtellina Superiore (Nebbiolo of the region?): elegant and earthy,, smooth, with some cherry “notes” (hate that word)...so drinkable that it was gone too soon. — 8 years ago

with Jim

A. R.

8.9

A riper and brighter vintage than one tasted a few years ago. I don’t really understand the low ratings. Quite honestly, if this was natural wine from a crusty old Slovenian farmer in a mountain town nobody has ever heard of, or a 9th generation hipster Andorran-French winemaker using only a walnut press to make the wine, the wine writers/bloggers would be all over it. This is real, natural wine. Certainly not perfect, and definitely unique. Floral and grapey with decent tannins and acidity. Medium finish. Tiny production of 1500 bottles. 32 bucks. Totally worth it, IMHO. — 8 years ago

Kelsie Palumbo

9.5

Dans favorite. Stag’s Leap region. Very good. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

A small winery in the Carneros region of Napa managed by Tony and Jo Ann Truchard successfully growing grapes for over 40 years. Sits on French oak (20% new) for 6 months. Aromas of tropical fruits and sweet honey. On the palate pineapple and apricot flavors, subtle spice and fresh acidity. Lingering finish ending flinty with citrus mineral tones. Small production 1900 cases, must try. Nice! — 8 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

PN Gamay Blend #1: A nice biodynamic juice that honours the pinot noir, (by bringing a classy mouth) and the gamay, generous and flowery. The dress is dark but translucent. Open nose, very fruity. In the mouth the material is velvety, combining freshness and roundness, in a balance that makes this wine remarkable in its price range. Nice entry cuvée by an interesting domain of Loire region.

Un beau jus qui fait honneur au pinot noir, (en apportant une certaine tenue) et au gamay, généreux et accessible. La robe est violine sombre mais translucide. Le nez ouvert est très fruité. En bouche la matière est veloutée, associant fraîcheur et rondeur, dans un équilibre qui rend ce vin remarquable dans sa gamme de prix. Belle entrée en matière d’un super domaine. — 5 years ago

Maksym Dzhavala

9.2

A good vintage for the whole region, best displayed in a glass, unlike Mazzi. The bouquet clearly indicates that this wine could have become Recioto someday 😄. Compared to other samples, the aroma is more fruity. There is no spice in taste, but in this case such circumstances cannot be considered a disadvantage. Long time in oakis felt but not dominant due to the traditional approach to Amarone production. There are some cherry, chocolate, oak, brown sugar, black licorice. — 6 years ago

Jorge Sierra

9.2

Another gem from Herve Souhaut. Limited production on this Ganay from the Rhone region not know for Gamay. 60-80 yo vines. Very different from what im used to in Gamay. Was still very fruity but also had peppery smoky notes and maybe even some herbs. Dark fruit for sure. Loved it. — 6 years ago

Kim Brater

9.0

Amazing dry white that has limited production in the U.S. Thus varietal hails from the Piedmont region originally. Ponzi planted a plot back in 1990 and each year it produces this amazing wine. Peach, almonds. Some pear on the nose. Lovely aperitif or with appetizers. Small production so if you can find it...get it! — 7 years ago

GabWine

9.2

Color : White
Wine estate : Domaine Louis Bovard
Designation : Saint-Saphorin
Name : Salix Chenin Blanc
Country : Switzerland
Vivino : 4.5/5
Note : Louis Bovard remains the boss in the Vaudoise region with this magnificent Salix. A pale yellow color, a mineral nose with a touch of citrus. On the palate, happiness, joy and wonder. More seriously, a nice roundness with salty and fruity notes. Just magic!
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Louis Bovard reste le patron dans La région Vaudoise avec ce magnifique Salix. Une robe jaune pâle, un nez minéral avec une touche d’agrumes. En bouche, le bonheur, la joie et l’émerveillement. Plus sérieusement, une belle rondeur avec des notes salines et fruités. Juste magique !
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👍🏻Vivino, FB : GabWine | IG : gabriel_dvl 🥂 — 8 years ago

Amer S. Ahmed

9.0

Not for everyone but a thinking wine, and superb example of what careful production can achieve - tons of white flower, lime, barely ripe peach, carrying through to a textural mouthfeel with green melon, honey, mint, and anise. Perfect with a snap pea salad or asparagus preparation, goat cheese, and meaty oysters. Long finish with layers of vegetation and fruit. Bravo again to the Collio region — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose; bright cherries, ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus, oyster shells, baguette crust, understated volcanic minerals, chalk, saline, fresh pink roses and florals. The body is full and a shade gluey. The fruits are ripe, rich and candied/gummy in style. Bright cherries, black cherries ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus spray, saline, seashells, soft grey volcanic minerals, lots of grippy powdery razor sharp chalkiness, baguette crust, fresh pink roses & florals, acidity that is round and well done, understated delicate micro bubbles and a long, well balanced, rich finish. The reason why I prefer the Billecart Salmon, Ruinart & Laurent Perrier over the Bollinger is it’s a little too sweet for me. Photos of; the House of Bollinger, cellar, headstone that marks one of their vineyards and their harvest staff picking perfectly manicured rows. Producer notes and history...Bollinger has roots dating back to 1585 when the Hennequins, one of the Bollinger founding families, owned land in Cramant. Before the Bollinger house was founded in the 18th century, the Villermont family practised wine making, though not under their family name. In 1750, Villermont settled at 16 rue Jules Lobet, which would eventually become the head office for Bollinger. In 1803 Jacques Joseph Placide Bollinger was born in Ellwangen, in the kingdom of Württemberg. In 1822, he moved to Champagne and found work at the house of Muller Ruinart, which no longer exists. Many other Germans came to settle in the Champagne region, including Johann-Josef Krug and the Heidsiecks, who founded a house that would become; Charles Heidsieck, Piper Heidsieck, Veuve Clicquot and others. The Champagne house Renaudin Bollinger was founded in 1829 in Aÿ by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Levieux Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger. The partners agreed that the Villermont name would not be used on the labels, hence the house name Renaudin Bollinger. Starting when Jacques Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont, the house has been managed by the Bollinger family. Even though Paul Renaudin passed without an heir to his name, the label did not become solely Bollinger until the 1960s. Founder Jacques Joseph Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont. The had a daughter, who had two sons Joseph and Georges. These sons took over the company in 1885 and began expanding the family estate by purchasing vineyards in nearby villages. The sons also developed the image of the brand, such as when Bollinger became the official supplier to the British court and received a Royal Warrant in 1884 from Queen Victoria. In 1918, Jacques Bollinger, the son of Georges, took over the company and married Emily Law de Lauriston Boubers, known as "Lily". Jacques expanded the facilities by building new cellars, purchasing the Tauxières vineyards, and acquiring the assets of another Champagne house on Boulevard du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassign, where Bollinger's offices are presently located. When Jacques Bollinger died in 1941, Lily Bollinger took over. Lilly expanded production with the purchase of even more vineyards, but is best known for traveling the world to market the brand. Bollinger was modernized under the Claude d'Hautefeuille, who acquired additional vineyards and further developed the brand internationally. Following Claude, his cousin Christian Bizot took over the Bollinger house and expanded world distribution. Their Winemaker also used several James Bond film movies to market the brand. Bollinger is fermented in oak barrels. At harvest, only the first pressing is used in the cuvée, unless the vintage is of particularly high quality, when a second pressing of Chardonnay will be used. Bollinger sells the second pressing, the tailles. Bollinger utilizes two pressing houses (Louvois and Mareuil sur Aÿ) to ensure a short distance between harvest location and pressing. When possible, grapes purchased from growers are pressed by the house. When the pressed wine arrives, the Bollinger cellar master analyzes the musts for quality, discarding and selling off those that do not meet the house standards. The first fermentation is done cru by cru, variety by variety, preserving many of the unique characteristics of the vines location. Bollinger is one of the few Champagne houses to do some first fermentation in oak barrels. Wines that will not hold up to first fermentation in wood are vinified in vats. Bollinger Champagnes usually undergo malolactic fermentation. The Grande Année 1995 did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Bollinger uses only traditional yeast. They’ve decided that new generations of yeasts (agglomerated yeasts and encapsulated yeasts) do not produce satisfactory Champagne. Vintage wine, including all wine to be used in a Grande Année, is fermented in small oak barrels, sorted according to origin and variety. Both oak and stainless steel are used for non-vintage wine. Bollinger also has the last Cooperage in Champagne. The oak barrels are all at least four years old, avoiding the transfer of tannins to the wine. The wines are only lightly filtered. All Bollinger Champagne spends a long time on its lees, contributing to the complex flavour of the wine. Though appellation d'origine contrôlée rules only require 12 months on lees for non-vintage Champagne and for vintage (NV wines, 15 months from tirage to release and vintage wines must be kept for 36 months from tirage to release), Bollinger ages their non-vintage wines three years, and the vintage wines from five to eight years. The Grande Année and R.D. Champagnes are riddled by hand. At disgorgement, Bollinger wines are given a low dosage, to maintain the balance and flavor of the wine. The company uses 6-9 grams of sugar per liter for the Special Cuvée and La Grande Année. The extra-brut R.D. is dosed between 4 and 5 grams. After dosage, the wines are aged an additional several months, resting for a minimum of three months before shipping. Bollinger owns nearly 160 hectares of vines, producing more than 60% of its supply. The vines are largely Pinot Noir, specifically clone 386. Bollinger believes this clone ensures good quality as well as highlighting characteristics of the various terroirs. The vineyards also include some rare ungrafted French vines from before the phylloxera. Bollinger owns vines all over Champagne, including the crus of Aÿ, Bouzy and Verzenay. — 8 years ago