With new contracts in place in the outstanding 2008 vintage and thirty percent declassified premier cru fruit in the blend, this is as cracking as I have ever seen Brut 17. A pristine bouquet of vibrant lemons and strawberry hull opens out into a palate of fantastic, linear freshness with great persistence, a fine, creamy […]
readA well crafted wine from noble fruit sources, showcasing the strength of its terroirs and the excellent 2008 season. It’s rich with white peach, yellow plums, lemon zest, red apples, wild honey and notes of mixed spice. The finish is fine and honed, with the structure of the grand cru village of Chouilly taking control […]
readHailing entirely from the 2009 vintage, this may be the youngest champagne you’ll taste this year, but such is its perfumed freshness that there’s no need to wait a moment before you dive in. A vibrant pink hue ushers in a bouquet of gorgeous strawberry and red cherry blossom fragrance. The palate is delicate, primary, […]
readIt takes great talent to capture such fine lemon blossom perfume in 100% pinot noir, let alone from such grandiose pedigree as the grand cru villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay. Typically a blend of three vintages, this wine brilliantly captures poise, elegance and purity within pinot’s style of primary strawberry hull, vanilla, cinnamon, brioche and […]
readUtilising both the maceration and blending techniques of rosé production, this is an assemblage not with red wine but with the pink of pinot noir macerated on skins (“for the joy of the wine!” as Rodez declares). For its depth of age it’s fresh and primary, with a pale salmon-copper hue and characters of tiny […]
readThere is an inherent subtlety and restraint here, but at the same time glorious complexity, without lacking anything in concentration or presence. Such is its sophistication and harmony that nothing leaps out of the glass. Instead, a gentle, caressing presence of white peach and preserved lemon, with complex nuances of nutmeg, cinnamon, toast, even anise. […]
readLes Chétillons is the Le Montrachet of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of the finest sites for sparkling winegrowing in Champagne, indeed, anywhere on earth. This is one of the most minerally expressive wines I have ever tasted in Champagne. It’s tremendously full-bodied, powerful and concentrated with pure lemon fruit, orange zest, stonefruits, cloves and cinnamon and […]
readChampagne’s finest season of the past decade has given birth to a remarkable LGA. The strength of pinot noir in 2002 is offset by a higher proportion of chardonnay than usual (40%). As always, the two varieties are sourced exclusively from Bollinger vineyards, fermented entirely in old barrels, aged on lees for eight years and […]
readOne of the most anticipated releases of the year, Oenothèque 1996 is not only one of the greatest Dom Pérignons of all, not only among the handful of the finest champagnes on the shelves this year but, more than this, it absolutely, finally and resoundingly answers the question on critics’ and connoisseurs’ lips for the […]
readOne of WA’s most reliable bargain blends is in fine form in this great vintage, bouncing with crunchy red- and blackcurrants and capsicum. It’s varietal and vibrant, with lingering fruits amid finely structured tannins and supportive dark chocolate oak.
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