Champagne, Merlot
-
Larmandier Bernier Les Chemins d'Avize Grand Cru Extra Brut 2015The 2015 Extra Brut Les Chemins d'Avize Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is a broad, ample Champagne that reflects both vinification in wood and time on the lees. Lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers, chamomile, sage and spice build in the glass. Powerful and resonant, with no hard edges, the 2015 is terrific. It's also a throwback to the style of the time, and one I must say I like a lot. This is a fine effort for the year. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI
The 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize opens in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, verbena, fresh pasty, vanilla pod and fresh herbs. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and chalky, with a vinous, rather concentrated profile and bright acids, it's a little compact out of the gates but appears to be built to age with grace. WILLIAM KELLEY
2015ChampagneFrance376$450.00 As low as $405.00 -
Larmandier Bernier Vignes de Levant Grand Cru 2013The Larmandier family excelled in this cooler vintage, so it's unsurprising that the 2013 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant has turned out beautifully. Wafting from the glass with notes of crisp yellow orchard fruit, brioche, white flowers, oyster shell and honeycomb, it's medium to full-bodied, deep, layered and incisive, with a tangy spine of acidity, terrific tension and a long, racy finish. WILLIAM KELLEY
The 2013 Extra Brut Vieille Vigne de Levant Grand Cru is a Champagne of real breadth and substance that captures the essence of these 50-70-year-old vines. Apricot, chamomile, dried flowers and a kiss of oak are all amplified. Vinous and creamy, the 2013 builds beautifully with time in the glass, showing tremendous character and pedigree. The 2013 was fermented and aged in a combination of neutral barrique and foudre. It's a super-classic Larmandier-Bernier Champagne. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI
2013ChampagneFrance376$450.00 As low as $405.00 -
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2011More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2011ChampagneFrance376$465.00 As low as $418.50 -
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2013The 2013 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne's bouquet is compellingly fresh and minty, revealing aromas of white fruit—notably pear and apple—marzipan and sweet spices, as well as a light touch of citrus mingled with classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this is a structured, tensile and ethereal Champagne with high acidity—a sign of a classic vintage—animated by a mousse of striking finesse and delicacy. Although already enjoyable, it should develop well for several decades. 96 YOHAN CASTAING, the wine advocate2013ChampagneFrance376$475.00 As low as $427.50 -
Krug Grand Cuvee -172 NVThe 172ème édition, based around the 2016 vintage, is a delicate, floral and saline Grande Cuvée at this early stage in its life. The palate it taut, tightly wound, gradually unfurling into toasted fruit bread, rye bread and roasted nuts, wrapped around an intricate and taut lemon core. It's exceptionally long, spicy, rounded and spherical in shape. Notes of sweet unsalted butter round out the finish, which has such length, elegance and balance. 58% of the wine is from the 2016 vintage, which saw a lot of rain in the spring and close to flowering, with 42% from reserve wines. The blend is made up of 146 separately vinified wines from 11 different years, and the oldest wine in the blend is from the 1998 vintage. (97) NATALIE EARL, DECANTER
Beautiful notes of dried citrus fruit, lemon curd and dried apples with hints of spices, dried flowers and subtle brioche. I like the polished and caressing texture and steady, refreshing acidity. It's fresh and even austere, with notes of ground spices. So vertical and firm. Structured and long. (97) JAMES SUCKLING
Gentle, creamy, pure citrus aroma and ever so subtly toasty. Clementine, jasmine. So many gorgeous layers. Hint of ginger. This is intense and piercing. Not bone dry, and the sweetness shows a little on the finish at the moment even if it is perfectly balanced. More perfumed as it opens in the glass but the autolytic character is gentle. Orange blossom. So much more perfumed than I expected… (18.5/20) JULIA HARDINGNVChampagneFrance376$485.00 As low as $436.50 -
Louis Roederer Cristal 2015If the 2014 vintage was especially open and demonstrative, the 2015 Cristal is going to require more patience. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, crisp stone fruits, white flowers, crushed mint and subtle hints of buttery pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a deep, concentrated and rather introverted core of fruit framed by chalky extract and animated by a pretty pinpoint mousse. This is a serious, vinous Champagne that has considerable substance to age and may well evolve along the lines of the lovely 1985. 95+ WILLIAM KELLEY, the wine advocate2015ChampagneFrance376$545.00 As low as $490.50 -
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 2015The 2015 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill shows off the savory side of the vintage to great effect. Hints of dried pear, sage, mint, dried flowers, lemon oil and chamomile open gradually in this mid-weight, lithe edition of Pol Roger's tête de cuvée. The 2015 unfolds nicely with time in the glass, but I wouldn't think of opening a bottle anytime soon. Readers will find a nervy Winston Churchill marked by notable freshness and vigor more than size. This is a fine effort in a vintage that has proven to be far trickier than most observers originally envisioned. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged September 2022. (95) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous
A strong effort in a less-acclaimed vintage, Pol Roger's newly released 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill opens in the glass with aromas of confit citrus, ripe orchard fruits and dried white flowers mingled with hints of honeycomb, freshly baked bread and anise. Medium to full-bodied, vinous and concentrated, with bright acids, chalky structuring extract and a pinpoint mousse, this inherently rather rich, gastronomic Champagne is quite tightly wound out of the gates and will reward a bit of bottle age. Stylistically, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day version of the 1985. (94+) WILLIAM KELLEY, The Wine Advocate
Subtle and restrained pastry nuances with a hint of mushroom. Lots of seriousness and generosity of fruit but in a more restrained, quiet style. Gentle autolysis with mellow apple flesh and some earthiness, bright and classic. Elegant, with reserve wine complexity. Brisk on the finish with a nougat edge. Great stuff. DECANTER2015ChampagneFrance376$550.00 As low as $495.00 -
Henri Giraud Grand Cru MV18The MV 18 is a classic Giraud Champagne. Apricot jam, tangerine peel, spice, honey and hazelnut give this mid-weight, classy Champagne tons of complexity and nuance. Readers will find a Champagne of notable purity and finesse. There's plenty of Giraud intensity, but in a mid-weight style that is hugely appealing. The blend is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, all from Aÿ, based on 2018, with a blend of reserve wines that span vintages 1990 through 2017. Disgorged: November 14, 2022. ANTONIO GALLONI
This is the bottled essence of Henri Giraud, with the unmissable stamp of Aÿ Pinot Noir. Child of the ripe, voluminous yet fine 2018 vintage, this is replenished with wine from the house's famous perpetual reserve, created in 1990, and is loaded with promise. On the nose, the generous and bold fruitiness is seamlessly integrated into the soft, smoky oaky tones. Dried apricots and sweet nectarines meet exotic spices and candied orange. The concentration does not amount to too much on the pulpy-juicy palate. Prickly bubbles bring a notion of vibrancy and freshness to the rich whole. ESSI AVELLAM MWChampagneFrance376$575.00 As low as $517.50 -
Andre Clouet Clos de Bouzy 2012 1500mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2012ChampagneFrance376$645.00 As low as $580.50 -
Armand de Brignac Gold NVTasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an elegant creaminess I don't find in the other cuvées, the "Gold" is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier as well as the vintages of 2009, 2010 and 2012. The wine reveals good grip and mineral tension and drinks well as an aperitif or with seafood and fish. Stephan Reinhardt, THE WINE ADVOCATENVChampagneFrance376$695.00 As low as $625.50 -
Krug Vintage 2011More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2011ChampagneFrance376$815.00 As low as $733.50 -
Egly Ouriet Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Les Crayeres NVA blend of the 2016 and 2015 vintages, the NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères is an especially good rendition of this almost routinely sublime bottling. Unwinding in the glass with notes of pear, wild berries, clear honey, white flowers, praline and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully layered and textural, with a taut, concentrated core, racy acids and a long, mineral finish. This chiseled, intensely flavored Champagne was disgorged this year with only one gram per liter dosage. 98+ WILLIAM KELLEY, the wine advocateNVChampagneFrance376$870.00 As low as $783.00 -
Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2013More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2014ChampagneFrance376$1,160.00 As low as $1,044.00 -
Billecart Salmon Le Clos Saint Hilaire 2005More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2005ChampagneFrance376$1,360.00 As low as $1,224.00 -
Suenen Oiry Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV 3000mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance376$1,410.00 As low as $1,269.00 -
Ausone 2022Pre- Arrival 2 bottles available
The 2022 Ausone, which was the earliest-picked ever on September 5 (although that is later than Cheval Blanc) has another very intense bouquet with layers of plush blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and incense aromas that are beautifully entwined with the 100% new oak. Hints of blood orange emerge with a few minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins and perfectly pitched acidity. The slightly higher proportion of Cabernet Franc imparts a touch more pepperiness toward the finish. You can feel this on your tongue long after it has departed. There is a surfeit of freshness on the finish. This is an outstanding Ausone that can look forward to a very long future. (98) NEAL MARTIN, Vinous.com
2022Cabernet Blends, MerlotFrance356$2,475.00 As low as $2,227.50 -
Ausone 2020The 2020 Ausone is stellar. Usually a showier wine, Ausone is packed with bright acids, deep fruit and tons of supporting structure. Dark red fruit, blood orange, pomegranate, rose petal, mocha and dried herbs all race out of the glass. Deep and layered, with magnificent finesse, Ausone is lights out in 2020. What a wine. Readers lucky enough to own it are in for a thrilling ride over the next few decades. 99 ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous.com
2020Cabernet Blends, MerlotFrance356$2,495.00 As low as $2,245.50 -
Ausone 20181 Bottle at the time of the offer
This really is a creation of true refinement and class, that lends itself to the harmonious, graceful style that is so typical of great St. Emilion. Suckling, Perotti-Brown and Galloni all awarded it perfection, with Jeff Leve noting that there are few wines at this level of quality produced from any vineyard in the world. If you can afford just one of 20,000 bottles produced annually, it will be a trophy for any cellar designed to last 50-100 years. -Tom Portet
Antonio Galloni 99
The 2018 Ausone is mind-blowing. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. I don't know what more to say. Cabernet Franc is so expressive, so vibrant so nuanced. Rose petal, cinnamon, star anise and sage meld into a core of red fleshed fruit. The 2018 doesn't impress with opulence or richness, rather it is a Saint-Émilion that is all about persistence and energy. I won't be at all surprised if it merits a higher score in the future. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The 2018 is a viscerally thrilling wine of the highest level.
James Suckling 99-100
This is really exotic with wild-fruit character that I have seldom encountered in Ausone. Full-bodied yet reserved and very tight. Amazing depth and purity of fruit. Incredible beauty. Sexy.Lisa Perrotti-Brown 98-100
Full-bodied, rich, decadent and tightly knit, it offers layer upon layer of fruit, spice and mineral nuances with a firm frame of exquisitely fine tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and heart-stopping beauty.
2018Cabernet Blends, MerlotFrance356$2,800.00 As low as $2,520.00 -
Ornellaia Masseto 2015
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2017MerlotItaly495$3,355.00 As low as $3,019.50 -
Le Pin 2022The 2022 Le Pin is a very pretty, sexy wine. The richness of the year is evident in the wine's super-ripe profile and textural feel. Blackberry jam, spice, apricot, black tea, new leather, chocolate and a kiss of French oak build in a sumptuous, potent Pomerol. The 2022 will need time to be at its best. To be sure, extreme heat and drought do not present the most optimal conditions for an early-ripening variety such as Merlot, especially on gravel. The 2022 is a decidedly exotic Le Pin and a wine that will thrill hedonists. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com
The elegance and harmony of the 2022 Le Pin took me aback. Harvest began at this small estate on September 6th, proceeding bit by bit until all 10 blocks were picked, and the resulting wine is maturing in 65% new oak. Wafting from the glass with aromas of minty blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of licorice, spices and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and fleshy, with a sensual, seamless profile and terrific integration at such an early stage. It's one of the finest vintages at this address in the last decade or more. (96-99) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate
2022MerlotFrance356$11,890.00 As low as $10,701.00