Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Nicolas Feuillatte “Réserve Exclusive” Brut
Champagne AOC – Champagne – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic non-vintage Champagne blend typically composed of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, crafted in a vibrant and approachable house style. Nicolas Feuillatte continues to deliver a fresher, fruit-forward expression of Champagne that balances energy, accessibility, and refinement exceptionally well.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright orchard fruits, candid citrus, green apple, pear, and subtle stone fruit notes layered with hints of brioche, white flowers, and delicate toasted almonds.

Mouthfeel
Lively mousse with lovely tension and balanced acidity. Refreshing, energetic, and clean while maintaining enough texture to feel complete and satisfying through the finish.

Food Pairings
Excellent with smoked trout, oysters, sushi, fried appetizers, soft cheeses, or light seafood dishes. The pairing with fatty smoked trout submerged in garlic olive oil sounds absolutely spot on, the acidity and freshness would cut beautifully through the richness.

Verdict
A surprisingly well-balanced and highly approachable Champagne that overdelivers in freshness and drinkability. Vibrant, refreshing, and dangerously easy to enjoy glass after glass.

🍷 Did You Know?
Nicolas Feuillatte became one of the largest Champagne brands in the world by working with an enormous cooperative network of growers across Champagne, allowing the house to source fruit from a remarkable diversity of villages and terroirs. — 10 days ago

John Bratincevic

9.2

Dry, intense lemon pith, ends with raspberry and apples. Quite nice. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Solid cuvée. Their entry level.

A bit sweet at 8g but Extra Brut in 375’s a little harder to come by. 65% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 3% Pinot Meunier. Base vintage 2020. Disgorged June 2024.

The mouth entry glides with rich, ripe; green apple, pineapple, white stone fruit, cherries, lemon pulp to meringue, lime zest, kiwi, tropical melons. Vanilla, caramel, cream, some yeast notes, toast, slivered almonds, crisp volcanic minerals with limestone, white spice that plunges into the palate with some heat, dry herb notes, chalk in bits & powder, saline, sea fossils, yellow flowers, white spring flower bouquet, crisp acidity with nice balance and a 90 second finish that long sets on spice & minerals.

In all my many travels to world wine regions during or just post harvest, the Clos De Goisses Pinot Noir fruit was absolutely the best…everything else, a fairly distance second. I ate 2-3 clusters.

Photos of: my visit to Philipponnat, 10/23. The Clos Des Goisses vineyard that strangely grows over their facility, the view of the Cote de Blancs from the Clos Des Goisses vineyard & entrance to their cellar. — 3 months ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Really nice with 3+ hours of air. Excited to try in a few years as it continues to balance out with time. Perfect pairing with burgers. Quite fruit forward at this point but with a real vein of fine minerality. Delicious. — 8 days ago

Mackenzie Svee

9.3

ripe red berries, stone fruit, honeyed toast, and a creamy finish — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Enjoying this knowing my Cornhuskers already punched their ticket to their first ever Sweet 16 last night in one of the games of the tournament so far.

At this point, it’s a “pick’em” between the Bérêche Brut Réserve and Caillez-Lemaire’s “Éclats” for the title of, “Kline Fam house Champagne”. They just delivery in the way I want/trust/expect and can afford. This is the November 2025 disgorgement. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The Brut Réserve pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of apple, pineapple, raspberry, lemon curd, brioche, marzipan, and a mix of chalk and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and laden with minerals. So easy to love. Drink now but you can hold for many years if you want as well. — 2 months ago

Mark S.

9.0

Yeast Chalk mineral. Brioche. Citrus. Slightly Liquor like. Rich Minerally. Slightly smoky. Balanced. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne Blend @, JL, 260426 — 13 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Another solid vintage of this Côtes du Rhône staple. Blend of Grenache (60%) and Syrah (40%). Dark garnet color with ruby highlights. Aromas of ripe black fruit, violets, dried rose petals and roasted meat. Flavors of ripe red and black cherry/raspberry/plum fruit, savory dried herbs and spices and a bit of black licorice. Hint of earth and bramble on the long dry finish. No real noticeable oak aging. Fruit forward and fresh. Velvety tannins and medium-plus body. Exceptional quality and consistency for the price. Thanks for sharing, Chris B! — 18 days ago

Ericsson

9.4

Vintage at it best At Petit Comptoir, Reims FR. — 2 months ago

Rufus King

9.2

Nicely balanced Côtes du Rhône, enjoyed with steak frites at STK restaurant in Boston — 3 months ago