Beating the heat with Whites and Bubbles

Our group was originally supposed to be at Ruxbin, but a slight goof on the reservation landed us at Ruxbin's sister restaurant: Mott St. While Mott St. doesn't normally allow corkage, they were more than gracious in helping us out and making sure we had a good night.

• 2005 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Le Cran Ludes 95 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Nose: The nose is wide open to start, but it really revs up with some air to reveal white peaches, pears, red and green apples, crushed rocks, some honeydew, white florals, and freshly baked bread. The depth and class on the nose is what really strikes you along with the multitude of layers too.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium/high acidity. The feel is regal and refined with white peaches, pears, red apples, crushed rocks, white florals, and fresh baked bread. There is a deftness to the tones along with a lot of depth.
  
  Overall: This really grew as it opened up. While it is showing young, there's a real freshness and vibrancy that is extremely attractive.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Nose: The nose is pristine and aromatic with white fruits, pears, crushed rocks, white florals, apples, and some saline notes. The tones favor the higher register along with showing off a more nuanced side.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with high acidity. The acidity is really punching, but it is also extremely mouthwatering. Through the acidity lies a fresh and feminine feel with white fruits, pears, crushed rocks, apples, and a slight salinity on the back end.
  
  Overall: This most certainly will age. The great question is that if you have bottles of these, will you be able to keep your hands off?

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Special Club Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Nose: The nose is open and perfumed with baked bread, red apples, mineral tones, pears, baking spices, and some floral tones. While the nose is open for business, it seemed to lack a next gear.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium/high acidity. The feel is youthful and slightly lacking depth with red apples, baking spices, mineral tones, pears, and a touch of floral notes.
  
  Overall: This bottle was slightly lacking. It is still an excellent bubbly, it just didn't have that next gear I was expecting.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2003 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 'M' 93 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Nose: There is a larger and richer quality to the nose with lychees, peaches, apricots, white pepper, some snow peas, and a touch of cream notes. Though there is a richness to it, it is far from overdone and is extremely balanced.
  
  Taste: Full bodied with medium acidity. The palate shows the larger side, but it is far from too big with lychees, peaches, white pepper, snow peas, and some creams.
  
  Overall: This took a slight bit to unwind, but it was extremely good once it did. The warmth of the vintage played into this, but it more dictated style than anything else. This has aged extremely well and is providing a lot of joy.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Nose: The nose is open and giving with loads of springtime florals, crushed rocks, lemon peels, white fruits, pears, citrus notes, and some saline. There is excellent depth with a lovely feminine side to it.
  
  Taste: Medium/light bodied with high acidity. The acidity is certainly noticeable, but it isn't overbearing. The feel has more of a feminine side to it with crushed rocks, lemon peels, white fruits, floral notes, and some saline.
  
  Overall: This was showing beautifully. There is a freshness and understatement that really drives the wine.

  Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2000 Viñedos Lacalle y Laorden Rioja Viña el Pisón 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Nose: The nose shows off a richness to it with black cherries, smoke, licorice, black fruits, and some wood spices. It is a bigger nose, but it is reigned in and shows off more rounder edges than it likely did in its youth.
  
  Taste: Full bodied with medium acidity and silky tannins. The structure has peeled back, but it is still there in a supporting role along with black cherries, violets, licorice, black fruits, and wood spices.
  
  Overall: While this was far from my style, it was showing well. It isn't subtle, but it isn't overdone either. It's a bigger and much more modern-styled Rioja that is certainly in its window.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2012 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Nose: This took a slight bit to unwind, but it was showing a lot of class and poise when it did with sea shells, white fruits, pears, crushed rocks, saline, and some apples. There is loads of depth that draws you in.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with high acidity. The feel is extremely classy and deep with seashells, white fruits, pears, saline, and loads of crushed rocks. The feel is refined with a satiny quality to it.
  
  Overall: This was a stunning wine. Though it is clearly young, it is also extremely irresistible.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1991 Peter Lauer Saar Riesling Brut Reserve 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Nose: The nose is intriguing and complex with red apples, biscuits, some waxy notes, pears, and honeydew.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium/high acidity. There is a sharpness to the acidity, but it isn't overbearing with biscuits, red apples, waxy notes, honeydew, and some bleu cheese on the back end.
  
  Overall: This was a bit of a moving target. It would reveal itself in some moments and then play coy in others. On the whole, this was a lot of fun and easily one of the more interesting wines I've had recently.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

This actually ended up working out for the best. It was a warm night with a cool breeze and we were able to sit out on the patio. Couple that with a slew of great wine, food, and friends and you have a recipe for a great night.