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Staff Favorites - Michael Benoit

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Reviews

2024 Samuel Louis Smith "Baytree Lane Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Gamay Noir

Review Date: 04-28-2026

This wine has a beautiful, intriguing nose of raspberry and cherry, with subtle aromas of wet stone. On the palate, it balances juicy red fruit flavors with bracing acidity. Overall, this is a wine of incredible freshness and precision that's a great call when it's too hot for heavier reds, and pairs well with chicken or pork hot off the grill!

Price: $32.95

JD: 97

WE: 94

Laurent-Perrier "Grand Siècle" Iteration #26 Brut Champagne

Review Date: 03-18-2026

The house of Laurent-Perrier shows their blending prowess yet again with this iteration of Grand Siecle. Based around the 2012 vintage with 25% of reserves from 2008 and 10% from 2007, this champagne is elegant and fresh, but with an underlying brooding complexity from 10 years of ageing. Ripe citrus, Marcona almonds, and rich brioche aromas burst from the glass and continue on the palate, where they are joined by crisp apple flavors with an undercurrent of brambly berries and toast. With a bright, fresh attack, and a clean dry finish, this champagne is easy drinking, but with so much vinous power and complexity at its core. Grab a couple bottles while you can - this is drinking great today and will have even more to offer after a few years in your cellar!

Price: $249.99

Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes

Review Date: 03-03-2026

Wow! The Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs is everything I want in a blanc de blancs. The nose is floral and faintly bready, and the slight sourdough toast on the palate is in perfect balance with the flavors of Meyer lemon, pear, and apricot. The wonderful fine bead gives this champagne a velvety texture that goes down easy, and the acidity is fairly delicate, but plenty to keep it refreshing and keep you coming back for more. A great champagne to enjoy on the first warm days of summer!

Price: $44.99

2019 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, Pauillac

Review Date: 08-14-2025

This 2019 Pauillac is the first bottling in our new Discovery series, and does it ever deliver! The nose is classic Pauillac, with powerful aromas of blackberry and graphite and hints of cracked black peppercorn. On the palate this wine is still youthful, with rich black plum fruit, and grippy but fine-grained tannins. Hints of tobacco leaf and smoked meat give a preview of what's to come with continued aging. This wine is a great introduction to Pauillac for drinkers just getting into Bordeaux, and at this price, a perfect bottle for burgers on the grill tonight or to cellar and pair with a special steak dinner a few years from now.

Price: $29.99

2015 Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne

Review Date: 05-22-2025

Representing the best the 2015 vintage has to offer, this new bottling from Billecart-Salmon is only the second time they've produced a vintage edition of their standard rose champagne. Aromas of ripe cherries, marzipan, and a touch of honey make for a beautifully expressive, complex nose. On the palate, I was surprised to find a subtle layer of pain au levain toast, giving way to flavors of juicy Bing cherry, Satsuma orange, and underripe strawberry. This champagne is bright, mouthwatering, and complex, and has a finish that goes on for days, revealing flashes of different flavors as you savor each sip. An absolute treat, and shockingly well-priced for what's in the bottle!

Price: $119.99

Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)

Review Date: 11-14-2024

An absolute stunner, the 2006 Clos du Mont from Fallet-Dart has all the deep, toasty brioche that a person could ask for. This barrel-fermented beauty spends an astounding 12 years on the lees, yielding a champagne with a complex, alluring nose full of toasted almonds, candied lemon peel, and brioche. On the palate, I love its extraordinarily velvety texture coupled with flavors of ripe citrus. The finish, rich with toast, is nearly endless. Champagne this good will have you searching for any reason to celebrate!

Price: $79.99

Maison Laudacius "Laudacius" Brut Nature Montlouis Methode Traditionnelle

Review Date: 08-04-2024

With a gentle nose of honeyed cream and white flowers, and a palate of Asian pear and lime peel, this sparkling Chenin Blanc has plenty to recommend it. But what really makes this wine stand out to me is the strong, persistent minerality and racy, refreshing acid. An unusual and exciting bottle of wine for sure, and at an extremely reasonable price - a great pick for summertime!

Price: $18.99

DC: 97

WE: 92

Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)

Review Date: 05-30-2024

For years, the champagnes we carry from Baron Fuente have been staff and customer favorites, and especially the long-aged bottles under the Esprit label. These outstanding champagnes have a new name and a new label, but the high quality and incredible value of the wine inside the bottle hasn't changed a bit. This blanc de blancs continues to be sourced from a single 9.5 acre vineyard on the western edge of Champagne, and is perfectly refreshing with a generous, creamy texture. Fresh acidity and delicate toastiness combine beautifully with soft flavors of lemon curd and pastry crust, fading out into a long mineral finish. A great aperitif or a stellar bottle for brunch!

Price: $39.99

Boulard-Bauquaire "Carte Noire" Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

Review Date: 07-27-2023

Refreshing and deep in equal measure, the Boulard-Bauquaire "Carte Noire" entices with its nose of cherries, strawberries, and almonds. Flavors of black cherry and fresh herbs mingle together to create a deep, complex impression. The robust carbonation of this champagne gives a lifted feeling to the long finish. This is a full-bodied, rich, tasty bottle, and such an interesting counterpoint to their blanc de blancs.

Price: $39.99

Wine Club

$34.99

Damien Hugot "Hommage 1921" Extra Brut Champagne

Review Date: 11-29-2022

Damien Hugot's "Hommage 1921" is a beautiful champagne that balances a creamy texture with plenty of fresh citrus. The first sip is full of ripe mandarin and zippy lemon flavors on a background of fresh cream. The finish is delicately chalky with touches of vanilla, and goes on and on. This makes a great aperitif or toasting champagne, and a fantastic pairing with shellfish.

Price: $49.99

Kokuryu "Crystal Dragon" Daiginjo Sake 720ml

Review Date: 06-19-2022

This daiginjo sake, produced with very soft water from the underground river called Kuzuryugawa (Nine-Headed Dragon River), erupts with tropical fruit aromas of banana, pineapple, and melon. The sake has a wonderfully rich body, full of fresh melon and ripe banana flavors, which evaporate into a crisp, dry finish that leaves you wanting another sip. Particularly suited to shellfish, this sake would pair beautifully with oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, or ceviche. Delicious and elegant!

Price: $39.99

More Favorites

Michael Benoit is also a fan of the following items. To become a fan of Michael Benoit, click here to join Michael Benoit's Personal Sommelier Service.

Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne ($94.99)

Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne ($37.99)