NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Premier Cru Les Vignes de Bisseuil - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (5/29/2026)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 1.25 hrs in a restaurant setting –
– base: 2018 –
– disgorged: July 2023, after 48 mos. on lees –
– dosage: 2 g/L –
Right out of the gates, this was somewhat toasty on the Nose, and also seemingly reserved. Fairly persistent medium-fine-bubbled bead. On the palate this had a light to medium-light body, and medium+ acidity. Lightly toasty here, too, and every-so-slightly autolytic. Quite nice, and in the low-level excellent range, but lacking the Wow Factor I’ve come to expect from Egly. Drinkable now, but best to Hold.
Nose is quite light, and leans a bit sweet in a Sprite soda kind of way. Medium bodied on the palate, with high acidity. Sweet apple flavor. Despite the Extra Brut designation, I feel I can taste the dosage, and would guess it to be in the 6 - 9 g/L range. Excellent, as far as USA-based sparklers are concerned, but this won’t have me abandoning my Champagne value buys.
Wow, I’m really behind on my posts. We’ve been drinking quite a bit more wine over the past two weeks than we have in recent months. Here are a few bottles from the last couple of weeks:
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 170ème - France, Champagne (5/19/2026)
As I’ve said before, I love these in small format. Last night’s half bottle was wonderful, though it still needed some time in the glass to fully show its best. Mandarin orange and rind, ginger, almond, and brioche.
I have several of these in both full and half-bottle format. As expected, the halves drink better young than full bottles, but the difference seems even more pronounced with Krug than I would have anticipated.
To my palate, this isn’t showing quite as well today as the 169ème. That may sound intuitive given the base years, 2014 versus 2013, but Krug’s reserve wine library and blending skill often minimize, or at least transcend, the limitations of a lesser base vintage.
NV Guiborat Fils Champagne Grand Cru Prisme 15 - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (5/23/2026)
This started out wonderfully upon release, and keeps improving through the years. This producer was originally recommended to me by the sommelier at Granit in Paris a several of years ago, then a couple of years later by the maitre d' at Boutary. 1.5 gm dosage, dg 2020.
It is drinking beautifully. Bright, energetic, and remarkably fresh, with creamy citrus, white orchard fruit, and just a hint of pastry. It managed to be both delicate and powerful at the same time. A fantastic Blanc de Blancs, and a unanimous crowd-pleaser at our table.
2004 Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Liesse d'Harbonville - France, Champagne (5/25/2026)
I brought this to a fun dinner with friends.
Despite being the tête de cuvée from a producer I love, it's still astounding how well this 2004 shows. Nearly 20 years on the lees, combined with blocked malolactic fermentation, have kept it fresh, complex, and remarkably youthful. A brief period in cask adds body and texture without weighing it down. Full-bodied and layered, with plenty of toast and complexity but still impressive energy. Good enough that I immediately tracked down another six pack. The blend is 66% Chardonnay, 17% Pinot Noir, and 17% Meunier.
2013 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Rosé Emotion - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (5/27/2026)
This may have been the best pizza wine I've had to date. I've always thought the 2012 was a hair better, but now I'm not sure. Dense and expressive, with vibrant orange zest, strawberry, and raspberry on both the nose and palate. It has gained noticeable weight over the past year without losing any of its energy. A joyful wine, with a powerful attack and a long fruity and chalky finish.
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne (5/29/2026)
Another great bottle of the 2006, one of the stars of the vintage. I brought this to a restaurant to share with my daughter and her friends in celebration of one of their birthdays.
There can be a little bottle variation from one to the next, and this one was slightly different from my previous few. It showed a bit less richness and less of the struck-match reduction that has often been a hallmark of this wine. That character may simply be receding with age, although my most recent bottle displayed more of it.
Ripe apple, lemon cream, and buttery brioche. Complex, energetic, and beautifully balanced, with plenty of life still ahead of it. As with the recent '04 Ployez-Jacquemart Liesse d'Harbonville, I went and ordered more (this time, both 750's and magnums).
NV Robert Allait Champagne Cuvée Prestige - France, Champagne (5/29/2026)
Tough to follow a 2006 Taittinger Comtes, but this magnum quietly held its own. A very different style, showing the floral character of Meunier along with more red fruit contrasting the Comtes. It paired well with a wide range of entrées and was a crowd-pleaser throughout the meal.
This comes from a small grower in the Marne Valley farming organically. The blend is 50% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Noir.
I'm not certain this bottle was from the same batch as my previous ones, which were based on the 2021 and 2020 vintages, included 30% reserve wines dating back a decade, and carried a dosage of 7 g/L. I've liked every bottle, and the prices of these magnums were laughably low.
2013 Deutz Champagne Rosé Brut Millésimé Amour de Deutz - France, Champagne (5/30/2026)
I have a predilection for older Champagne, but I often prefer my rosés a bit younger. Still, I probably wouldn't have opened this bottle yet had I not read a note suggesting it was losing freshness. I suspect that particular bottle may have suffered from a flaw such as light strike, subtle heat damage, or mild TCA. Then again, Galloni's most recent note did suggest the wine was beginning to soften.
This bottle, however, was as fresh as could be and still on the young side for my palate. Delicious, and giving the recent 2013 Vilmart Emotion serious competition for the title of best pizza wine of my life. Cherry, cranberry, spice, and mineral notes, with terrific energy and balance.
I wouldn't hesitate to open another, but I won't be rushing through my remaining six bottles, either.
I ordered one back in February, but it still hasn’t been delivered. It cost considerably more than I typically spend on a bottle, but I rationalized it as an anniversary-year purchase. Besides, there’s very little doubt we won’t enjoy it when it finally arrives.
Hosted a bubbles themed get together this past weekend. Long story short - this is a theme that needs to happen more often! Made a big batch of Carbone’s spicy rigatoni (from a copy cat recipe online). My wife made a vanilla cake with champagne buttercream and a strawberry compote.
Favorites: Vouette & Sorbet Baknc d’Argile mag, Amaury Beaufort, and a new discovery - Domaine des Arondes Rosé
A $28 purchase which is a great price for a 100% Grand Cru Champagne. We tried 3 lesser expensive Champagnes over the weekend and this was the best of the 3. This house was founded in 1860 and is located in Chalons-en-Champagne. Baked apple and peach aromas. Solid bead. Notes of oranges and other citrus fruit. 90 points.
NV RUINART BLANC de BLANC BRUT- blind; following its light yellow color came nice and fresh aromas of citrus fruit with lemon and lime most prevalent; the taste profile was made up mostly of the same plus some white nectarine, a coat of honey and mild accent of ginger; it was medium bodied with just a little weight and as such, was elegant and charming; there was just enough acidity and an overall appeal to make this a clear winner; I had it as a vintage BdB champagne from 2013 or 2015 thinking it might be a Taittinger Comtes in its youthful state.
The fruit is sourced from 25–30 different chardonnay crus, predominantly from the Côte des Blancs, the Montagne de Reims, the Sézannais and La Vallée de la Vesle including 20–30% reserve wine kept from a range of vintages; it was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, aged 2-3 years in the cellars, went through 100% ML and dosed a 7gpl.
So I have had a craving for a good Italian hot beef sandwich (wet) with hot Giardiniera for a while and since I can’t get one here I decided to do it myself. Also wanted to to try a 12 Comtes, maybe not the greatest pairing but I was determined lol. The sandwich was fantastic as was the Comtes just not together
08 DP P2 just arrived at my local store so after buying their entire shipment, I had to pop one and taste. Just happened to have an opportunity today with several other winos.
Nose is super fragrant and rich and full. Lots of power on the palate with a long finish. Super young, but enjoyable and just no flaws that I can see. There’s a reason it got a bunch of 100 pt scores. Can’t wait to see how it develops over the next decade or so, but personally I haven’t found the P2 typically ages as well long term as the original release.
I snatched up some of these as well. 2008 is my anniversary year, which is great since my wife and I love champagne. Can’t wait to give one of these a spin.
