2015 base. Juicy and fresh, with some nice sweetness here. Not complex, but very pleasant. Good white-fruited tones, as well as sufficient acidity to cut.
From a blend of 2013, 2012, and a little 2009. Nice sense of tartness on the palate from the fruit. Good mineral grippiness, but also a touch of white grape which fortunately doesn't taste too much like Welch's though.
Much more reticent and subdued on the nose. Great intensity and concentration here, obviously a step above the entry-level wines. Fruit shows riper, but there's ample acidity to balance the fruit.
Touch of earth here, as well as some nice red fruit. Larger scaled and broad-shouldered, with a touch of mushroom. Seems a bit lean on the palate, with more acid than stuffing.
Nice nose, with plenty of tart red berries. The palate doesn't show as pleasant, with some bitterness and something that might be tannin? Comes across a bit coarse.
Juicy with a touch of gummy candy sweetness on the nose. Palate finishes with some bitterness. The acidity here doesn't seem to have much cut; wine feels a little dulled.
8 g/L dosage. Sweet and juicy, and some good freshness on the palate from the fruit. A touch blowsy, and the fruit profile is a bit more candied than I'd like.
Again, clearly a step up from the rest of entry-level wines. Great depth here, even though it's a bit subdued right now. Lovely, if a bit demure, fruit that is balanced more with the chalkiness than the acidity.
Fairly creamy and sweet, but sufficient acidity to keep this nicely driven. Not super complex, but there's good balance here. Easy to drink, perhaps a bit too much so?
A little more bubblegummy than I like; probably a bit too young. Nice white fruit on the palate, but finishes with some bitterness. Decent, but not complex. Probably needs a bit of time to settle down.
Clearly far more complex than the entry level wine. Far more rounded, with more richness on the palate, but still holds its chardonnay raciness. Good complexity and power; a bit closed now, this will benefit from a bit of time.
Pinot shows a little heavier here, with some earthy mushroom notes here. A hint of breadiness as well. Full and rounded on the palate, with more complexity than most entry-level wines tonight.
NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée Sainte Anne 90 Points
France, Champagne
2015 base. Juicy and fresh, with some nice sweetness here. Not complex, but very pleasant. Good white-fruited tones, as well as sufficient acidity to cut.
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NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Premier Cru Tradition Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
From a blend of 2013, 2012, and a little 2009. Nice sense of tartness on the palate from the fruit. Good mineral grippiness, but also a touch of white grape which fortunately doesn't taste too much like Welch's though.
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2009 Gaston Chiquet Champagne Special Club Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
Much more reticent and subdued on the nose. Great intensity and concentration here, obviously a step above the entry-level wines. Fruit shows riper, but there's ample acidity to balance the fruit.
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NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Touch of earth here, as well as some nice red fruit. Larger scaled and broad-shouldered, with a touch of mushroom. Seems a bit lean on the palate, with more acid than stuffing.
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NV Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Rosé de Saignée Brut 85 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Nice nose, with plenty of tart red berries. The palate doesn't show as pleasant, with some bitterness and something that might be tannin? Comes across a bit coarse.
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NV L. Aubry Fils Champagne Premier Cru Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Juicy with a touch of gummy candy sweetness on the nose. Palate finishes with some bitterness. The acidity here doesn't seem to have much cut; wine feels a little dulled.
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NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
8 g/L dosage. Sweet and juicy, and some good freshness on the palate from the fruit. A touch blowsy, and the fruit profile is a bit more candied than I'd like.
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NV Henri Goutorbe Champagne Cuvée Prestige 88 Points
France, Champagne
A moderate amount of sweetness here, but there still are a few white grape juice notes that poke through here. Juicy and fairly tasty.
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2006 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Grand Cru Special Club 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Again, clearly a step up from the rest of entry-level wines. Great depth here, even though it's a bit subdued right now. Lovely, if a bit demure, fruit that is balanced more with the chalkiness than the acidity.
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NV A. Margaine Champagne Premier Cru Demi-Sec 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Fairly creamy and sweet, but sufficient acidity to keep this nicely driven. Not super complex, but there's good balance here. Easy to drink, perhaps a bit too much so?
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NV Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuis 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Fairly simple wine. A touch herbal; no sweetness but still a bit of white fruit here. Finishes with some green bitterness.
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NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
A little more bubblegummy than I like; probably a bit too young. Nice white fruit on the palate, but finishes with some bitterness. Decent, but not complex. Probably needs a bit of time to settle down.
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2012 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay 93 Points
France, Champagne
Clearly far more complex than the entry level wine. Far more rounded, with more richness on the palate, but still holds its chardonnay raciness. Good complexity and power; a bit closed now, this will benefit from a bit of time.
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NV Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée de Réserve Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Pinot shows a little heavier here, with some earthy mushroom notes here. A hint of breadiness as well. Full and rounded on the palate, with more complexity than most entry-level wines tonight.
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