K&L Wine Merchants - Chelsea Herholdt Reviews

2016 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne

Review Date: 02-06-2025

I cannot wait to see where this wine goes over time, but do not let that dissuade you from taking one home now. The nose is a bit quiet, but the length and structure of the palate just about leave you breathless. With excellent farming and sourcing, there is so much to be excited about in this bottle. It may be one of the earlier Tête de Cuvées released, but it is still clear just how much of a knockout the 2016 is. I recommend more than one, because once you pop one cork, you'll be itching to see how it evolves too.

Price: $299.99

2016 Franck Bonville Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Review Date: 02-06-2025

“Drink me now!”—that’s what this Champagne screams. Time has softened this vintage cuvée beautifully, revealing a honeyed, brioche-kissed nose and a bright streak of zesty acidity, perfectly in sync.Vintage, Grand Cru, at this price, from one of my absolute favorite producers? Say no more, and grab more than one.

Price: $74.99

VN: 93

Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Review Date: 02-06-2025

The majority of the elegant Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs—Avize, Oger, and Cramant—are the primary sources for this estate-grown bottle of pure happiness. It beautifully showcases the quintessential chalky, bright, and refined character of this hallowed terroir, complemented by sturdy, refreshing acidity from stainless steel aging. There’s not a single thing I would change about this Champagne—especially its excellent price for such top-tier sourcing.

Price: $53.99

JS: 92

RP: 92

Franck Bonville Unisson Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Review Date: 02-06-2025

This Champagne captures everything the Côte des Blancs does best—all in a gorgeous bottle, ready to be popped for any occasion you can dream up. Sourced primarily from the Grand Cru village of Avize, with most vines over 30 years old, it balances the creamy elegance of its terroir with vibrant acidity and chalky minerality. The Bonville family’s wines, and especially the Unisson, are a personal go-to, perfect for any Champagne-worthy moment. I’ll leave it to you to decide what qualifies—but I’d argue that just about anything does!

Price: $53.99

Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Nature Champagne (formerly Esprit)

Review Date: 02-06-2025

This exuberant bottle shares the foundation of the Quinconce Brut—only with zero dosage added before release. Like its counterpart, it receives exceptional care throughout production, including an impressive seven years of lees aging. While some Brut Nature cuvées can feel overly racy or unbalanced, lady time has worked her magic here. The laser-like acidity is perfectly tempered by the richness of lees aging and a masterful assemblage, resulting in a wine that is as seamless as it is striking. Simply put, it’s a lifted, bright, and beautifully balanced bubbly—one I can’t wait to pour another glass of.

Price: $39.99

Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)

Review Date: 02-06-2025

The Grande Réserve from this beloved producer is already one of the best values in the store—but for just a few dollars more, you can elevate the experience from a QPR star to something truly remarkable. Like the rest of the Quinconce line, this Champagne spends seven years on the lees, developing the quintessential toasted brioche notes that only time can create. The Chardonnay component brings fresh stone fruit to the nose, while the Pinot Noir carries the depth and richness that come with extended aging. A touch of Meunier adds lift and brightness, perfectly balancing its counterparts. Exceptional in every way, this Champagne may be a value offering, but it leaves you wanting for nothing.

Price: $39.99

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

Review Date: 02-06-2025

When a Champagne comes from a single vineyard, is non-vintage, and spends a remarkable seven years on the lees, you typically expect a high price tag—and sometimes a bit of lopsided weight. But this wine defies expectations, clearly benefiting from each of these elements while maintaining an almost unbelievable price point given the level of care in every bottle. It reminds you of all the finer things in life while remaining clean, focused, beautifully structured, and mineral-driven—not to mention, just downright delicious. Perfect for pairing with food, celebrating special moments, or simply elevating any day that needs a bit of sprucing up.

Price: $39.99

Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne

Review Date: 02-06-2025

If you poured this wine for me blind and asked me to guess the price, I’d say it drinks at double or even triple its actual cost. It’s immediately inviting, with a classic toasty nose that reminds me of apple pie. With plenty of reserve wine, a traditional brut dosage, and extended lees aging, I expected a certain richness on the palate—and it delivers. But alongside that luxurious texture is a bright vein of acidity that lifts everything, making it both cozy and refreshing at once. My advice? Buy one for yourself, one for your friends, and one for your family. And by one, I mean one case!

Price: $29.99

JS: 90

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

Review Date: 11-15-2024

This iteration is based on 2012 (mostly), 2008, and 2007 and is 58% Chardonnay. Technical data aside, this is one of the most striking Champagnes I have enjoyed in years. The finish lasts for (actual) minutes and I don't want to drink anything else to wash it away. I rarely say this, but I see why it received 100 points. It is incredibly aromatic for just being released, with the bones and elegance to age for decades. I'd say that Grand Siecle ages "like a fine wine" but putting it side by side with anything else almost does it a disservice. #23 had just begun to show any secondary character, and the grace in this wine tells me it will slowly evolve into something potentially even more stunning. This is truly in a class of its own - I would grab as many as you can so you can mark the passing of time by opening them for years to come.

Price: $249.99

Fallet-Dart Brut Rosé Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

Playful, elegant, cheery, and timeless. This rosé is a summer day bottled up and ready for you to enjoy year-round. With the predominantly Meunier (60%) spending 4 years on the lees, any harshness has softened just the right amount, while the remaining Pinot Noir and skin contact style holds everything firmly in place. This makes you want to do a little dance of celebration just for opening it!

Price: $39.99

Gosset "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

It doesn't get much more classically Champagne that Gosset. From the blend of mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 10% Meunier, the 6 years on the lees, all the way to the use of both stainless steel and oak, you get a bright, textured, and somehow strikingly unique wine. The nose reminds me of fresh cut summer melons, while the palate is regal and long. One of the best QPR values in our stores.

Price: $59.99

A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée 1809" Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

You can taste the Champagne history in this bottle. The cork is uniquely held in place by an almost forgotten method dating back to the 1800s, making it a unique looking bottle already. What matters more though is what's under that cork - a Champagne that spent time in small barrique, blended to perfection, and a whopping 8 years on the lees. We're used to seeing prices climb well over the $100 mark for such a beautiful wine 10 years in the making, not here. The value packed into this bottle is a lovely surprise. This will be sure to impress all Champagne lovers, from the novice to the nerd.

Price: $64.99

BH: 92

2015 A.D. Coutelas Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

2015 was a warm vintage in Champagne, and some harnessed it well, while others struggled with shut down vines. A.D. Coutelas did an excellent job of harnessing the warmth and producing a welcoming vintage wine that is far from a shame to have open now. Candied citrus meets a classic palate with balanced freshness. If you ever wonder what to pair with curries or other spice driven foods, this is your answer.

Price: $54.99

Damien Hugot Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

Review Date: 09-14-2023

The difference between this and the Brut version is purely dosage technically speaking, but you'd think they were completely different cuvées altogether. Fresh white peaches, bright meyer lemon, and citrus rind jump out of the glass. The palate is structured and fresh, again a complete departure from the Brut version from Damien Hugot. I'd recommend grabbing the two of them to put side by side for an adventure into the discussion of Champagne dosage.

Price: $49.99

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