News — Champagne

"What a wine!"
2002 Dom Pérignon Rosé

At this point, it's clear that the 2002 Dom Pérignon Rosé will go down as one of the absolute greats of all time.

"The Brut Réserve is a real rock star"
Bérèche Brut Reserve NV

Bérèche is one of our favorite producers in all of Champagne. Everything that he turns out is shockingly good.

"Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical"
2012 Roederer Cristal Rosé

For me, any vintage of Cristal Rosé is one of Champagne's greatest wines. The 2012 is simply brilliant.

It is an utterly beautiful wine delivering finesse, length, and delicacy. 

"One of the finest grower-producers"
Marie-Noëlle Ledru Brut Grand Cru

Ledru produces some of the most lovingly made and terroir-expressive Champagnes around.

"The only problem with these wines is finding them"
- Lilbert-Fils Le Brut Perle Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs

Production of Lilbert's Perle is somewhere around 165 cases per release - a mere drop in Champagne terms.

It's a shame that finding the wine is so difficult. Perle stands as one of the greatest and most fascinating expressions of the Côte des Blancs.

Brilliance in the Côte des Blancs - 2013 Agrapart:
Mineral, L'Avizoise & Venus

Pascal Agrapart’s Champagnes are some of the most terroir expressive wines being made today.

From his vineyards in Avize, Agrapart makes three wines from what he considers to be the region’s three main terroirs: the up-slope, down-slope, and mid-slope. He then vinifies each wine in the exact same way to highlight their differences in terroir. Today, we focus on these three wines from the stunning 2013 vintage. 

The Cult of Prévost - Revisited:
Prévost Les Beguines Extra Brut NV (2017 Base)

Jérôme Prévost is one of the greatest growers in all of Champagne.

For many, this will sound trite. Prévost has a cult following, and the wines quickly disappear from the market. 

Chartogne-Taillet Single-Vineyards:
Les Barres, Les Couarres, Chemin de Reims, & Orizeaux

Chartogne-Taillet's lineup reaches its pinnacle in the exactingly-rendered single-vineyard bottlings. They dramatize just how sensitive and precise the winemaking is.

Our Champagne Go-To: Magnum Edition: Bereche Brut Reserve NV Magnums

"Although most readers probably associate Bérèche with some of their higher-end bottlings, the Brut Réserve is a real rock s

Selosse: From Initial to Lieux-Dits 6-Packs & Much More

"It’s rare to find a champagne, or indeed, a wine of any kind, as profound" - Peter Liem

Few wines on the planet imprint themselves on your memory the way Selosse's do. He is the most original, most game-changing producer in Champagne.

Poured at George V, The French Laundry, and Per Se - The Don't Miss $40 Champagne: Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Prestige NV

Diebolt-Vallois is a long-standing benchmark in Champagne.

The impressive list of world-class restaurants where their cuvée Prestige is poured by the glass drives home how impressive this Champagne is.

"One of the finest grower-producers" - Ledru Extra Brut NV

"Don't miss it!" - Rare Magnums:
2008 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Magnums

Clos des Goisses is an extremely steep and extremely chalky vineyard. Many consider it to be Champagne's greatest site. It's no surprise that Clos des Goisses' 2008 is one of the stars of the stunning vintage.

"One of Champagne's most dynamic young growers” - Savart L'Ouverture & L'Accomplie Brut NV

"There is little doubt Fred Savart is one of Champagne's most dynamic young growers.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media The champagnes of Fred Savart have steadily become some of our favorites.

Bérèche At The Extreme - Lowest Price:
2012 Bereche Le Cran Extra Brut

Bérèche's Le Cran is an utterly singular and compelling Champagne. In 2012, Le Cran really kicks into high gear. Bérèche is one of our favorite producers in all of Champagne.

"Tremendous depth and pure class” - Revisited:
2008 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé

Clos des Goisses is widely considered one of the greatest vineyards in Champagne. It's been produced since 1935. The terroir is so extraordinary that it rarely missed a vintage over the years. In 1999, the first rosé was released from Clos des Goisses. It immediately became one of the region's most sought after wines.

A Magical Combination: 2013 Robert Moncuit Blanc de Blancs

Mesnil's chalky soils deliver Chardonnays at the pinnacle of precision and energy. The area is responsible for some of my favorite expressions of Chardonnay and Champagne. 

"It is easily one of the very best Champagnes I have ever tasted"
Revisited - 2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

When Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne is on, it can reach heights that only a select few Champagnes can achieve. As Galloni's note above makes clear, the 2002 is a very special wine.

Our Champagne Go-To: Bérèche Brut Reserve NV

"Although most readers probably associate Bérèche with some of their higher-end bottlings, the Brut Réserve is a real rock star." -Antonio Galloni Bérèche is one of our favorite producers in all of Champagne. Everything that he turns out is shockingly good.

Single Vineyard Splendor:
2013 Chartogne-Taillet Chemin de Reims

Chartogne-Taillet's lineup reaches its pinnacle in the exactingly-rendered single-vineyard bottlings. They dramatize just how sensitive and precise the winemaking is. The Chemin de Reims, first bottled as a single-vineyard champagne in 2011, is an extraordinary example of Chartogne’s skillful winemaking.

The Cult of Prévost - Sharply Priced:
Prévost Les Beguines Extra Brut NV (2017 Base)

Jérôme Prévost is one of the greatest growers in all of Champagne. For many, this will sound trite. Prévost has a cult following, and the wines quickly disappear from the market.

“A stunning champagne, and one of the finest editions”
- 2013 Agrapart Venus Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature GC

Agrapart’s 2013 Vénus is simply spectacular. For the past few months, we've been beating the drum for Agrapart's 2013s. Vénus may very well represent the pinnacle of their great 2013s. 

"Nothing short of magnificent" - 2008 Dom Pérignon Magnums

I wanted to end the year with something big, and a magnum offer of 2008 Dom Pérignon seemed perfect. There's something otherworldly about 2008 Dom Pérignon. The year 2008 will go down as one of the great Champagne vintages of modern times. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is simply an epic vintage of this wine. Dom Pérignon in magnum is the perfect format to capture the wine's magic.

Wine of the Year #1:
Ian's Pick - 2015 Renoir Les Epinettes Grand Cru

I was first introduced to Adrian Renoir’s champagnes at a distributor tasting earlier this year. His 2015 Les Epinettes was a clear standout among the lineup. In fact, I insisted on bringing the bottle back to share with the staff. For the next few weeks, I was haunted by this bottle. It was that good.