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Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
Kizakura "Bushido Way of the Warrior" Ginjo Genshu Sake (180ml can)
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 8/13/2019 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 8/13/2019 | Send Email
Silky in texture with citrus notes and a clean finish, Kizakura "Bushido Way of the Warrior" is a genshu – undiluted – sake that hits hard but goes down easily. A beautifully classic, dry Ginjo sake, perhaps its most intriguing selling point is the packaging: awesome cans with reusable lids! Refreshing and portable, this 180ml release from Kizakura is perfect for an al fresco sushi stop.
Price:
$6.49
Leopold Bros. "Summer" Limited Edition Gin (750ml)
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 8/9/2019 | Send Email
By: Will Blakely | Review Date: 8/9/2019 | Send Email
Personally, I remain adamant that if you're going to use a gin in cocktails, it should be perfectly palatable without adulteration. Leopold's Summer Gin accomplishes that feat with aplomb. It smells like a summer breeze through a picturesque garden complete with citrus trees on the outskirts. The juniper here is ever-present, but by no means aggressive. Clean, fresh, and right on the mark in every respect, it carries its weight with poise and finesse, but there's nothing pretentious about it. This gin would do just as well with a single ice cube as in an extravagant cocktail that looks like a peacock in a Collins glass and costs you an arm and a leg in Hollywood. I highly recommend picking up a bottle before it hibernates for the winter.
Price:
$34.99
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/27/2019 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/27/2019 | Send Email
This is a classic and easy to enjoy gin. The nose has nice juniper and citrus aromas. In the mouth this gin is soft and focused with subtle citrus notes. This will be a great gin for cocktails and is soft enough for a martini.
Price:
$24.99
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 7/27/2019 | Send Email
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 7/27/2019 | Send Email
Juniper and citrus aromas jump out of the glass with an underlying malty sweetness. The palate mirrors the aromas almost to a T; juniper with lemon peel with a sweet background as a little bit of heat hits you on the way out. Perfect in G&T's or a Negroni!
Price:
$24.99
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 7/26/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 7/26/2019 | Send Email
The only 86 Co product that isn't going away - and thank the cocktail gods. This is the answer to all of your gin mixing needs. Intentionally built to highlight every key flavor profile in all of the gin classics this works in everything from a G&T to a Ramos Fizz to a Bee's Knees, Martini, Negroni, Aviation, Last Word or anything inbetween and beyond. It's a true work of art and a no brainer as to why Brown Forman wanted to add this London Dry classic to their portfolio. A big pop of juniper keeps the ship steering straight as you cruise through coriander, angelica, citrus peels, orris, cassia, and a touch of jasmine to name just a few. It's also one of the most affordable gins on the shelf and should be a staple in every bar you know, home or otherwise.
Price:
$24.99
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/21/2019 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/21/2019 | Send Email
A classic gin profile. This London Dry style gin comes straight out of England and starts with UK-grown grain. Bright juniper notes come right at you with pine freshness and a supporting citrus peel character. There's a subtle floral bouquet as well, but it never gets in the way or becomes perfumy. The palate presents the spices and herbaceousness displaying coriander, angelica, and then the citrus elements become more distinctly grapefruit-oriented. This will work in every gin cocktail you can find, and at this price you might as well try them all.
Price:
$24.99
Hibiki "Japanese Harmony" Blended Japanese Whisky
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/21/2019 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 7/21/2019 | Send Email
This whisky contains single malt from both Yamazaki and Hakushu, so there are chops to this blend. Toasted grain, vanilla syrup, new wood, and light tropical fruit notes on the nose with just a touch of spice to keep things playful. The palate has more caramel and honey characteristics balanced by more tingly spice. There's a great salinity here as well with a gentle medicinality and robust malt character.
Hibiki "Japanese Harmony" Blended Japanese Whisky
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 7/11/2019 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 7/11/2019 | Send Email
I was particularly excited to try the 'Hibiki Harmony' since it seems all of the Japanese whisky's are becoming so popular they sell out before most people get a crack at them. There is a definite sherry note present on the nose, and the palate is light, yet rich simultaneously. The Japanese whisky's generally seem to show as more elegant and prettier than those from other countries and this one fits that description perfectly. Though we did receive good stock this time, it won't last with the following the 'Harmony' has. Don't miss this opportunity because it probably won't come again and it's only going to become harder to acquire.
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 7/11/2019 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 7/11/2019 | Send Email
With most Gin's sitting in the $30+ price range these days, it's really nice to see one of this quality at an affordable everyday price, because I will be drinking it everyday this Summer. Super smooth and full of citrus, jasmine, with a slight sweetness from the wheat, this may be the best London Dry Gin on our shelves.
Price:
$24.99
Gilbert Jacquesson "Cuvée Tradition" Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/6/2019 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/6/2019 | Send Email
This is a dry Champagne that offers nice and beautiful round fruit that is framed with a refreshing crisp finish. In between the beginning and the finish there are subtle mineral notes. Easy to enjoy and an unbelievable price.
Price:
$29.99
Cotswolds Non-Chill Filtered English Dry Gin (700ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/1/2019 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 7/1/2019 | Send Email
This is a wonderful tradition gin. It has everything that a gin needs to be tasty and enjoyable. It has an elegant and integrated nose with juniper aromas with a hint of spice. In the mouth it is soft and round . This will be great to drink alone and will go well in cocktails.At a recent staff tasting it was very popular with the staff.
Hakushu 12 Year Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/27/2019 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 6/27/2019 | Send Email
This expertly crafted single malt has extraordinary balance for a peaty style and a refreshing salty lightness that makes me come back for more. I love that this has the smoke and complexity of peat, but doesn't get bogged down with oily heaviness. To the contrary, this is a refreshing Whisky that is fantastic to enjoy after a big meal!
Price:
$159.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 6/26/2019 | Send Email
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 6/26/2019 | Send Email
You don't see many 100% Pinot Blanc champagnes out there (a unicorn if you will) and if you're curious to try something different (and delicious!) then the Jean Jacques Lamoureux champagne is perfect. You get pretty white flower and elegant fruit aromas paired with racy acidty, toasty notes and finishes with the perfect amount of minerality. As we say in the industry, "...it just keeps going!" We only get so many of these so I'd say try it and stock up before we run out.
Price:
$49.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 6/26/2019 | Send Email
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 6/26/2019 | Send Email
I love this champagne! When I popped the cork, a burst of aromas popped out too, enticing us before we got it in the glass. Lots of floral and citrus at first, then the fruit, like pears, golden apples and white nectarines. It is amazing on the palate, and borrowing a visual from my colleague Miles, below, all of this comes in leaps and bounds as the vivid acidity and lingering minerality mingles in. The texture is silky and the finish is extremely long.
What a treat! Only 300 bottles available.
Price:
$49.99
Asahi Shuzo Dassai "45" Junmai Daiginjo Nigori Sake (300ml)
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/25/2019 | Send Email
By: Diana Turk | Review Date: 6/25/2019 | Send Email
One of the driest Nigori sakes I've ever tasted, Dassai's 50 Junmai Daiginjo is made only for the US market, and we’re lucky enough to carry it. Fresh with cantaloupe fruit and a super satisfying creamy texture, this is subtly sweeter than unfiltered sake, yet the finish is bright and crisp. Lovely.
Price:
$12.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Cameron Price | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
By: Cameron Price | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
This Champagne slices and dices! Racey, vibrant, crunchy, rich and creamy white fruit makes this my new favorite right quick! I am biased as Amoureux makes my anniversary Champagne but, man oh man, this is awesome! DO IT!
Price:
$49.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
As if fancy Alsatian Pinot Blanc and Champagne had a love child. With both white flowers, tropical fruits and the nervy backbone of champagne - this wine is truly unique. I would love to try a bottle with a simple green salad topped by grilled peaches, burrata and olive oil!
Price:
$49.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Shaun Green | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
By: Shaun Green | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
How exciting to have an all Pinot Blanc Champagne! Beautiful florals and light brioche on the nose with a silky elegant yet somewhat tropical palate of enticing fruit. Fine and elegant in the mousse as well, with a slight touch of peach stone at the finish. An absolutely delicious and luxurious Champagne.
Price:
$49.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 6/19/2019 | Send Email
Extremely aromatic and light on its feet, this champagne dazzles and delights! Lemon zest, citrus fruit, and floral notes leap and bound across the senses against a backdrop of soft minerality, and lit with accents of pale golden honey.
Price:
$49.99
Four Roses "Small Batch Select" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/18/2019 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 6/18/2019 | Send Email
Woody and spicy and fruity! Oh my! This newest project from Four Roses is a special blend of six of their mashbill/yeast recipes. It is more robust and richer than the previous standards from Four Roses, lending a heavy-handed approach to a classic. Cinnamon and clove burst out of the glass with heavy oak toast scents and orchard fruits. On the palate, everything is just... more. Hotter spice is also joined by mint, while those orchard fruit notes are intensified and taste like they've been baked into a pie. The wood flavors get heavier too with well charred oak and cedar notes just barely calmed down by vanilla sweetness.
Siembra Valles Blanco Tequila (750ml)
By: Kaj Stromer | Review Date: 6/12/2019 | Send Email
By: Kaj Stromer | Review Date: 6/12/2019 | Send Email
This glorious tequila smells like a vacation in a glass. As soon as I put it to my nose, the aromatics just swept me away. This super-premium tequila was the recent best-in-class finisher at our weekly staff tasting. The freshness, the fruitiness, the complexity, all make this a standout amongst peers. This is arguably one of the best all-arounders at the price point.
Price:
$69.99
2010 Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe
By: Mandana Tourani | Review Date: 6/11/2019 | Send Email
By: Mandana Tourani | Review Date: 6/11/2019 | Send Email
in 2010 the nights were much cooler so this actually allowed the grapes to develop very balance flavors. This Cabernet dominant wine has an abundant amount of dark chewy fruits, a bit spice and great classic leather that you expect in Bordeaux wines.
It is an outstanding wine for an incredible price.
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/6/2019 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 6/6/2019 | Send Email
This is long and fine with red cherry fruit and a persistent limestone laced finish. There is an amazing amount of elegance and restraint showing here for only 13 bucks. A remarkable value that is as easy on the palate as the wallet.
Price:
$14.99
Patrick Bottex "La Cueille" Méthode Ancéstrale Bugey Cerdon Rosé
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 6/3/2019 | Send Email
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 6/3/2019 | Send Email
Fun, fun and more fun! Here’s a wine bursting with raspberries and bright red apples. Very light in alcohol (8%) and full of bubbles. Rosé from gamay and the very indigenous "poulsard" . For me this wine is picture perfect for Thanksgiving— the last thing I would want is a heavy and cumbersome wine for this late afternoon dinner. Instead this is a light, refreshing, food-friendly wine, with just enough residual sugar to pair just about perfectly with turkey, cranberry and everything that goes with it. And it doesn’t give me a headache! I could give this wine nothing less than 5 stars for what it is!
Littlemill "Old Malt Cask" 29 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 5/30/2019 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 5/30/2019 | Send Email
I know we may tend to over-use the phrase "don't miss this one" at K&L, but you it really rings true on this incredible bottling from the now closed Littlemill distillery. You will LITERALLY never see an offer like this again for this whisky. With its other age statements selling in the thousands of dollars, it's a little mind-boggling we have it for $250. Our spirits buyers truly worked their magic on this one. Though we hope to see Loch Lomond Distillery open it up again eventually, nothing can compare to what this highly sought-after distillery made 29 years ago. The nose is quite sweet, with briochy, light butterscotch notes. This continues on the palate, but with a hefty kick from spice to bring balance. This is one of the best whiskys I've had in some time and it's made all the more special knowing it will never cross my path again.
Price:
$399.99
Littlemill "Old Malt Cask" 29 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/29/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Whiteley | Review Date: 5/29/2019 | Send Email
A lively combination of sweet fruits, candied nuts, and fresh cream are readily picked up on the nose and the palate. The whisky is supremely easy to enjoy casually without much careful thought or consideration. Add to that the excitement of drinking something that can never again be produced and you have a special night. If you move past sliding dram after dram through your lips into the realm of contemplation, you'll be enchanted by a shockingly savory array of secondary characteristics. In a proper glass with lots of time to open, there develops a very pleasant mushroom/miso umami which blends perfectly with the sweeter tones of the nose and entry. It's a combination that will last in your heart and mind long after the last drops of this closed distillery are consumed.
Price:
$399.99
Probitas (Foursquare/Hampden) White Blended Rum (750ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 5/25/2019 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 5/25/2019 | Send Email
This delicious rum has a beautiful light color. In the mouth it was very soft and drinkable. It will go well in some cocktails but drinking it straight is an excellent option. It is pure and clean with layers of flavor. I did not pick up a lot of funk from the Hampden but nuance and expressive flavors . The rums from these two distilleries work well together.
Price:
$24.99
Cotswolds English Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 5/18/2019 | Send Email
By: Stefanie Juelsgaard | Review Date: 5/18/2019 | Send Email
There is a high level of dedication to the purity of the product from Cotswolds Distillery and this Single Malt Whisky is no exception. Because this is the first ever whisky coming out of the Cotswolds, they wanted to make sure it showed its terroir by locally sourcing ingredients. Aged in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and red wine casks, the resulting spirit is fruity, with a touch of malty richness. The more sweet preliminary flavors of butterscotch appear on the nose, while the palate shows more influence form the barrels, bringing dark red fruits and deep caramel. If you're looking for something different and a great in between for Bourbon and Scotch, you need to pick up a bottle of this.
2018 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 5/17/2019 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 5/17/2019 | Send Email
This was one of our last stops on the en primeur campaign and it seemed by design. This was one of the best wines of the entire trip. The power and concentration were immediately evident, as rich notes of dark fruit, graphite and minerals took over the bouquet. On the palate the fruit took more of a red tone with nice sweetness, minerals and herbs, and the structure was impeccable as the tannins and acidity were already well integrated and balanced with a beautiful fruit driven finish.
2016 Siaurac, Lalande de Pomerol
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 5/15/2019 | Send Email
By: Alex Schroeder | Review Date: 5/15/2019 | Send Email
I’m perennially impressed by this wine. Siaurac is located on an extension of the Pomerol plateau and has a relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc at 20%. The result is a very complex, expressive wine with a beautiful perfume, bright flavors of red and blue fruit with mint and herbs, and great structure from a generous but balanced oak regimen. If you’ve tried any of the recent back vintages we have (like the 2010, in stock now) you know it ages superbly.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
By: Neal Fischer | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
How can a Champagne be so toasty and yet so bright and vibrant at the same time? It's picking up huge depth of flavor from spending seven years on the lees leading to a nose that's simultaneously doughy and toasty. I pick up aromas of a medley of soft orchard fruits here with pear, peach, and apricot at the helm. The palate shows off surprisingly bright acid and fresh green apples. Take this rich yet zippy Champagne to your next gathering because the range of flavors has something to please everyone in attendance.
Alexandre Le Brun "Tradition" Brut Champagne
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
Savory, big and rich are three words I'd use to describe this fantastic champagne. On the noes you get red fruits and apples while on the palage there are bright red fruit and apples, brioche and a long, dry finish. Love bringing this bottle to parties!
Price:
$37.99
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
Our favorite champagne DI Fallet Dart never fails with each bottling I've tasted. This Grande Selection ages 7 years on the lees, which in turn produces the small bubbles. The beautiful aromatic notes with lees-y and toasty aromatics paired with a balanced acid backbone, notes of granny apples mid-palate and a lemon citrus zest on the finish, this champagne is a great value at this price!
Ramos Pinto "Quinta do Bom Retiro" 20 Year Old Tawny Port
By: Adam Winkel | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
By: Adam Winkel | Review Date: 5/13/2019 | Send Email
Tawnies are not an afterthought at Ramos Pinto, and casks going into this wine aren't something that one would typically see declassified into a 20-year blend. This is a single-quinta wine of fine terroir which displays surprising freshness and fruit at 20 years old. The wine is a noticeable step up from producers that are famous for their vintage ports and now put their best tawny casks into single-vintage colheita bottlings. This is a flagship wine with Ramos Pinto's best grapes and it isn't to be sold short.
Alexandre Le Brun "Tradition" Brut Champagne
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 5/10/2019 | Send Email
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 5/10/2019 | Send Email
This is a great bottling of Champagne that is a go-to for a mixed group. It's big and rich enough to hold up to food and pretty enough to drink alone. The perfect split of one third each Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier offers a cool comparative option for people exploring champagne styles and the price point we secure by bringing in this producer ourselves allows it to outperform all expectation.
Price:
$37.99
Four Roses "Small Batch Select" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: Illya Haase | Review Date: 5/9/2019 | Send Email
By: Illya Haase | Review Date: 5/9/2019 | Send Email
The Four Roses barrel selection is amazing. This special bottling will be the distillery’s first permanent product-line extension in more than 12 years. And boy, was it worth the wait! It's crafted from six Bourbon recipes OESF, OBSF, OESK, OESV, OBSK, and OBSV, with a 6 to 7 year age statement, and the seldom used F yeast strain. It imparts some very unique fruit and floral components. The candied fruit flavor is poised and balanced on the palate along with the warming spice bursting through from the heavy rye influence. This is a must have for your Bourbon collection.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
By: Muriel Sarik | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
This is another gem in our collection of champagnes. Don't let the low price fool you. There is a lot of work that goes into each bottle. It's made of all estate fruit and 7 years aging on the lees gives it a luscious mouthfeel and toasty aromas and flavors throughout the pallete. Makes a great gift in a classic looking bottle for only $34.99
2010 Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
Smoky toast aromas and flavor, this is a wine that shows the power of Saint-Estèphe tannins in full force. At the same time, there is a blackberry character that adds richness and juiciness, which cuts through the dry core. Quite delicious right now with 1 hour decanting-Perfect with a juicy steak..
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
If you’d like a study on what “toastiness” in Champagne tastes and smells like, look no further! As most of my colleagues have already pointed out, 7 years aged on the lies adds a lot of complex yeast characteristics that pair lovingly with the simple and pure fruits. This is mostly ripe and clean apple driven, but the yeast…it’s almost as if you toasted a slab of Brioche and let the edges burn a little bit.
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
By: Miles Philippe | Review Date: 5/8/2019 | Send Email
An all-star for the price! The main driving notes here are in the ‘pear’ category, with lovely apricot-like accents. Because of the 3 years of aging sur-lie, the yeast notes on the nose are reminiscent to Pain au Levain. Will do great poured on its own for a party, or served on the dinner table with just about any meal!
Alexandre Le Brun "Tradition" Brut Champagne
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
Once upon a time this was one of my personal staff picks and I loved drinking it as much as I loved recommending it. There's so many great things to say about this producer and his wines aside from the fact that his average vine age is over 40 years old and he keeps his favorite fruit to produce under his own name. With equal parts Chardonnay, Munier, and Pinot Noir, I got notes of sweet meyer lemon peel and honeyed bisquits on the nose. The palate tasted of freshly harvested peach blossom honey, a very slight airy bisquit and more white flowers. Three years on the lees did this wine well and added to the flavors on the finish.
Price:
$37.99
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
Franck Bonville constantly tops the staff picks charts and this blanc de blanc is no exception. The nose is clean, with a nice minerality and subtle floralness that opens up the palate with its balanced acidity with a peach blossom note. The finish is what takes the cake for me amongst other wines at this price point. Long and mouthwatering, this is a must for parties and celebrations.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
You just can't get much better with over seven years on the lees with estate grown fruit and a 17th generation grower. With notes of toast with pear jam on the nose and a nicely balanced palate with orchard fruit and pineapple upside-down cake this is a great wine to share with friends. The finish is soft but lingers and keeps reminding you to tip that glass back. A truly great value for under $35.
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Jackson Lee | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
There's a reason there's so many staff reviews backing up this wine. This review is another rock in the quarry but I thought I'd throw my two cents in and be in good company. Easy drinking, crowd pleasing with white peach skins on the nose with a light note of bisquit. The palate mirrors the nose but with a great tart acidity and sweet tangerine peel. Do yourself a favor and go for the magnum on this one (Shhh, don't tell anyone).
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Elsa Baez | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
I cannot express how amazing this bottle of Grand Cru champagne for this price. There are aromas of white flowers, golden apples, a hint of toast and finishes fresh, refined, with a touch of acid which is just enough to compliment the subtle rich and mineral texture. It's created with 50% reserves, which is a good amount to have in a bottling and aged just under 3 years on the lees. With all of these elements put together, it is really a top notch "gateway" Grand Cru champagne!
Alexandre Le Brun "Tradition" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
Alexandre Le Brun grows some spectacular fruit, and something around 70% goes to Bollinger, and keeps the best for himself. The vines are averaging 40 years of age now, maturing beautifully and producing amazing fruit. The Tradition is rich and toasty on the nose, with notes of pastry cream, almond, and sweet nut butter. the palate though comes through with wonderful acidity, tart apple, and under-ripe berries. This is a classic and elegant champagne that is as perfect for celebration as it is for winding down and relaxing at the end of an evening.
Price:
$37.99
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
I am a sucker for a good Blanc de Blanc. Something about the rich, round, honeyed quality that chardonnay based champagne can bring always puts a smile on my face. Franck Bonville is an exceptional producer, and when you can get your hands on a bottle of 100% Grand Cru fruit at a price this low, it's a no brainer in my mind. The nose is fot, with notes of cherry, vanilla, and white flowers. The Palate is laden with cashew, marzipan, and a long toasty finish. This is a beautiful wine made from exceptional fruit that for the the price, is going to be hard to beat!
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
The Faillet family have been known wine growers since the early 17th century, but it wasn't until the marriage of Gaston Faillet and Genevieve Dart in 1970 that the house of Faillet-Dart was formed. the Grande Selection is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir, and the and even split of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier to round it out. The nose is toasty with notes of white florals, browned butter, and apples. The palate is rich with notes of under ripe stone fruit, apples, and a round marzipan finish.
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Andrew Tobin | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
The Baron-Fuente family has been working in the vineyards of champagne long before the region started producing sparkling wine. The years of experience have lead to the production of some amazing wine at every price point, and the Grande Reserve is no exception. A blend of 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, makes for a warm and round nose with notes of honey, sweet dough, and hazelnut. On the palate though it is bright, with a biting acidity, and notes of soft cherry. This is a beautiful bottle for any occasion!
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
By: Chris DePaoli | Review Date: 5/7/2019 | Send Email
In Champagne, the law of the land processes and a systematic 7 years aging period lets the maddeningly beautiful Pinot Noir heavy Cuvee showcase wonderful toastiness. The palette of poppyseed and plum skin is carried thru a wonderfully soft mouthfeel, only matched but a lightly sweet nose. A great bottle of bubbles at any price really but one that is ridiculous at the cost.