Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Yeah, this is really good. From one of the grandest Champagne vintages in a 100 years or so.

The nose is extremely complex. Notes of; mixed orange citrus, overripe golden apple, bruised pear, overripe papaya & mango, stone fruit, just a hint of Meyer lemon, brioche, biscuits, baguette crust, ginger ale to gingerbread, white spice, faint sea fossils, understated saline, limestone marl, soft herbaceous, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, heavy cream, yellow lilies, jasmine and spring flowers in a field of greens.

The palate is gentle, micro lean bubbles, amazingly, soft mousse. Just beautiful, orange citrus, overripe golden apple, bruised pear, overripe papaya & mango, stone fruit, just a hint of Meyer lemon, juicy lime pulp, brioche, biscuits, baguette crust, ginger ale to gingerbread, graham crackers, vanillin, white spice, crushed more pronounced sea fossils, understated saline, limestone marl, soft herbaceous, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, heavy cream, yellow & white lilies, jasmine and spring flowers in a field of greens. The acidity is perfect. The finish is excellent with similarities wire to wire. Lasts minutes.

Photos from my October visit to Billecart and my tasting with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Love half bottles of good Blanc Champagne at Costco for $18. Sure makes it feel like Christmas come early.

I’m dreaming of a wine Christmas. What’s on your list?

Really nice cuvée from Laurent-Perrier and even better price point.

Bruised apple & Bosc pear, pineapple juice, nougat with nuts, ginger ale, vanillin, white spice, sea spray, soft volcanics, easy, powdery chalkiness, bread dough to baguette, withering lilies and spring flowers. Lively acidity and well balanced, rich, elegant finish that persists minutes landing on minerals & spice.

Happy Holiday Season! 🎄🎅❄️⛄️🎁 🌟 — 5 years ago

Neil Valenzuela

8.9

Pale ruby color. Aromas of bing cherry, cranberry and ocean breeze. Good cherry flavors, not a bad Pinot for the price. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Champagne is for celebrating, not that I need a celebratory reason to open a bottle as I am hooked on champagne. 💉

However, after installing 27 solar panels and waiting an additional seven weeks for my Tesla, I/we have almost erased our carbon footprint. Finally picked it up today. I believe we all need to do our part to save the glorious vines that bring so much happiness to our lives. 🍷🥂👍

As for the Baron Fuentes, the is a very good Champange and is perhaps the best QPR out of Champagne at $24.99.

Bright lemon, lime, grapefruit w/ sugar, bruised red apple & pear, touch of ginger & cider, bread dough, baguette crust, sea spray, white spice with some palate heat, sea fossils, grey volcanic minerals, spring flowers, lilacs and yellow lilies. The acidity is bright, crisp and lively. The finish is smartly polished, well balanced and persistent for minutes.

Whoo hoo! So close to carbon free! 🍾🥂 — 6 years ago

Rob Malm

9.2

Delicious sparkling Chardonnay. — 7 years ago

Amy Yan

9.1

Hit the wine jackpot on a work trip! One of two leftovers from the table next to me! Excellent Pinot. Lots of fruit and doesn't taste like a classic Pinot. Smokey wine indeed! — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

10

Tasted blind. Light gold color, youthful and heavy in the glass. Notes of citrus, white clay, sea shells, wet river stone, kiwi and some honey. High pitched. Massive fruit and structure. This powered along all night and never slowed down. Easy to guess as the 90 Raveneau Clos as we've had this many times. A debate ensued about what is a perfect white burgundy and where this sits... it would be really hard to get better than this, IMO. Spectacular. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Pale lemon with aromas of stone fruits, blossom and yeasty notes, fine creamy mousse and tiny rapid bubble flow, full-bodied, ripe apple and pear on the palate, citrus and some spice, nice acidity, well balanced ending with toasty mineral notes. Nice! — 4 years ago

Victor Aul

9.0

Nice expression of being in Cherry and herbs the wine was a little shy upon opening but improved what time.  — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The White Burgundy was excellent but, still have to have my BSR 375ml. It’s been awhile for us.

It is a little better tonight following the Burgundy & soft white cheese.

The nose on this bottle really flows out of the glass tonight. Beautiful lean fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, cherries, strawberries, watermelon near the rind, blood orange, orange & tangerine & some pomegranate. Crisp volcanic minerals, saline, sea fossils, baguette crust, vanillin, whiff of caramel, soft white spice, pink flowers and rose pedals.

Everything on the palate sings just a little louder tonight as well. Fruits are even a little richer than normal. Ripe & slightly gummy not as normal leaner fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, cherries, strawberries, watermelon near the rind, blood orange, orange & tangerine & some pomegranate. Crisp and grippy, volcanic minerals, beautiful softer, powdery chalkiness w/o quite the sharper edge it normally has, soft, hints of Provence herbs, saline, sea fossils, baguette crust, vanillin, whiff of caramel, soft white spice, pink flowers and rose pedals. The acidity is crisp, lively and dead on as alway. The long, rich, well balanced finish is deliciously refreshing and persists minutes.

Photos of; one of their Grand Cru Vineyards at sunset & inside and the Estate grounds of the House of Billecart, — 6 years ago

JL

8.9

Bought at Costco for $25 or so. Warm colors and lovely fruits of pinot noir. Worth the money — 6 years ago

Robert McNally

9.0

How a young PN should drink. — 6 years ago

Robert McNally

9.1

Delicious after an hour decant — 7 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

I can say for Raveneau I prefer ‘08 over ‘07 but for Dauvissat it’s a much closer race, and this electric ‘07 supports that notion. Intense and ultra complex nose upon the first pour from the decanter. Really raring to go.

It’s a classic vintage for Dauvissat with its oyster shell minerality, sea spray salinity and an attractive algae like savoriness, all backed by a bright lemony acid spine. It has all the elements you’d hope for in this Grand Cru. An incredible combination of power and elegance, elite midpalate depth and a finish that goes on and on. Proving again to be true, I continue to prefer Preuses over Clos in most vintages. — 4 years ago

James Brenner

9.3

This was a hit — 4 years ago

Allison Hinson

8.9

Best of California Pinot. Perfumed, juicy, well balanced acidity. Beautiful. — 5 years ago

Saphu

10

Great with clams and raw oysters — 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. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Medium gold color. Heavy in the glass. Leesy nose with notes of lemon, apricot, tan spice and sea shells. With air this really blossomed. Became exotic and later was atypical for a Chablis. Yet it always had great fruit and powerful acidity. (Bday dinner 2/13) — 6 years ago

Veronica Paulsen

9.6

Love this wine! Light, and delicious, very coastal and cool. Tannins are poppin’ in this wine. Love 👏🏽 it 👏🏽 might be one of my new favs for easy drinking. Pairs with a light meat dish or a meatier fish. — 7 years ago