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Staff Favorites - Kai Pedreno
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Reviews
2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Late Release Brut Champagne (direct from Roederer 2026)
Review Date: 08-18-2026
Made for the 150th anniversary of Cristal! This is an absolutely amazing blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, made with 33% of grapes coming from these three estates "La Riviere", La Montagne, and "La Cote". This Cristal spends an additional 4 years on the lees and has poignettage done to it once (the vinotheque series has this done 4 times). the wine is Chalky, with beautiful ripe fruit, amazingly soft bubbles, and a finish that lasts a long while. Just awesome! everything you've come to expect from Cristal just dialed up a notch with a bit of extra creaminess and power that is owed to the poignettage. A must try along with the cristal rose!
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-31-2026
The Billiecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs is super a super clean, refreshing champagne. On the nose there is a nice bit of brioche, bright Meyer lemons and a small hint of apple. On the palate its very light, mineral and high acid showcasing a long chalky finish. Love the Meyer lemon notes on this guy!
Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Made from the near-extinct Champagne varieties — Arbane, Petit Meslier, and Fromenteau. Lean and high acid with a crisp apple finish, nine years on the lees adding texture without weight. A totally unique bottle and worth seeking out. One of the coolest bottles to give or drink with a real champagne nerd!
Price:
$119.99
2014 Ariston Aspasie Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
From 25-year-old vines: brioche, baked apple, Parmesan rind, and real richness through the middle, closing on a mineral finish. Seriously good Champagne.
Price:
$49.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Single vineyard off a steep slope. Light, citrus-driven, high acid and dangerously easy, it's the kind of bottle that disappears before you know it, such and easy bottle to crush!
Price:
$44.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Bottled at 7 atmospheres, so it opens with a real pop and a fine, energetic mousse. Five years on the lees give it substance while keeping things light and easy. Don't need to say much this is a great value Champagne!
Price:
$37.99
2018 Baron-Fuenté "Rebelle" Brut Nature Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Unlike most brut naturals I have had the Rebelle is Loaded with fruit — red apple and orange peel. Again, much less austere on the palate than most Brut Natures. 50% Chardonnay, 50% Meunier. Delicious, and an easy entry point for anyone nervous about zero dosage. tied for my favorite Baron-Fuente with the "7"!
Baron-Fuenté "7" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Seven years on the lees and it shows! Leesy, toasty, with bruised apple and a savory Parmesan rind edge. An equal-thirds blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier. really Lovely stuff tied for my favorite from Baron-Fuente with the 2018 "Rebelle"!
Baron-Fuenté "Quinconce" Brut Champagne (formerly Esprit)
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Brioche, cream, and a savory, faintly cheesy depth, all held together by nicely balanced acid. It a good all-around champagne!
Price:
$39.99
Baron-Fuenté "Grande Réserve" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
A bright, high-acid Champagne built on 40% reserve wine and 3–4 years on the lees. Bruised apple and orchard depth. Meunier-led with Chardonnay the lending lift. Magnums get 5 years on the lees and drink with noticeably more richness.
2018 Launois "Helia" Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
A really Perfumed and pretty Champagne starting on the nose with rose petal, hibiscus. followed through with cherry and rose notes on the palate. It also keeps the house signature fresh style.
Price:
$74.99
2017 Launois "Helia" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
Another great addition to the Lanois line up! Apple and citrus up front, real depth and complexity underneath, mineral throughout as expected from a Lanois.
Price:
$79.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 07-27-2026
This Fruit pulled from the tops and bottoms of the slope, where ripeness lags as a result you get a very mineral Champagne with a high-acid finish that slices clean through. Precise and chalky. One of my favorites from Lanois!
Price:
$44.99
2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Briochey, fresh, deep, and lovely, this is a serious vintage Champagne that evolved noticeably over the course of the day between tastings. Composed of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay, it clearly needs more age to show what it is truly capable of. A must-buy for collectors and fans of Billecart-Salmon who want a bottle with both immediate beauty and long-term potential.
Price:
$119.99
Fallet-Dart "Heres" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Briochey, round, and simply delicious. A yummy, crowd-friendly Champagne with an easy charm. The soft richness and toasty character make it especially enjoyable for anyone who likes a fuller, more comforting style of Champagne.
Boulard-Bauquaire "Carte Noire" Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Showing red apple, minerality, and more depth than the Trépail in my opinion, this has a little extra complexity while still staying fresh and accessible. The added mineral note gives it a firmer backbone and makes it feel complete on the finish.
Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Fruit-forward, approachable, and easy-drinking. This is a great crowd-pleaser Champagne, perfect for sharing with a wide range of drinkers. It has enough freshness to stay lively while keeping the fruit generous and immediately appealing.
Price:
$44.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Cuvée Gabin" Brut Zero Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Fresh and easy to enjoy, with a clear red apple note at the center. Bright, clean, and charming, this is a straightforward and very pleasant Champagne. Its crisp fruit and gentle profile make it a great bottle for casual drinking or starting a tasting.
Price:
$44.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Very distinctive and aromatic, with tons of floral character, like fresh flower petals, layered with a gentle creaminess. An interesting and expressive Champagne with a unique personality. It stands out for its perfume and softness, offering something a little different from the more classic Chardonnay- or Pinot Noir-driven styles.
Price:
$49.99
2017 Franck Bonville "Belles Voyes" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
A textured and expressive Champagne with nutty depth, bright acidity, and serious structure. Aged in barrique, it shows extra weight and complexity while staying energetic. The oak influence adds breadth and richness without taking away from the wine’s freshness.
Maison 76 Côte des Blancs Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 06-26-2026
Creamy, fresh, and lightly briochey, clean and polished Blanc de Blancs with excellent drinkability. A great-value Champagne that overdelivers the price. The balance of freshness and soft texture makes it feel both elegant and very easy to enjoy.
Price:
$44.99
Laurent-Perrier "Cuvée Rosé" Brut Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 02-09-2026
This rosé Champagne drinks like an ultra light red wine , thanks to its 100% Pinot Noir and skin contact. Very light tannins are present, giving the wine structure and a subtle grip, while the sharper, more assertive bubbles keeping it energetic. The fruit profile is bold and expressive, delivering real intensity without heaviness. Vinous, structured, and fruit-driven, this is a Champagne that blurs the line between sparkling and still red—distinctive, confident, and unmistakably Pinot Noir. If you haven’t tried this style of rose its definitely worth a go!
Billecart-Salmon "Le Rosé" Champagne
Review Date: 02-09-2026
This Champagne opens with a subtle umami and yeasty note, giving it depth and intrigue before the wine lifts into a distinctly fresh, airy profile. On the palate, it’s remarkably light and precise, showing fresh strawberry without sweetness or weight. The texture is delicate, the bubbles refined, and the balanced. It’s savory complexity giving way to clarity and freshness as it moves across the palate. Elegant, restrained, and endlessly drinkable, this is a benchmark rosé Champagne, it’s easy to see why so many see this as the easy drinking rose champagne.
2019 Fallet-Dart "Pur Meunier" Champagne
Review Date: 02-09-2026
This vintage opens with a bright, expressive nose, showing tropical tones reminiscent of piña colada, led by fresh pineapple. On the palate, the wine is light and energetic, driven by clean, bright acidity that keeps the tropical fruit feeling fresh rather than heavy. Refreshing and vibrant, this is a Champagne that emphasizes fruit and brightness over savoriness, making it incredibly approachable.
Price:
$69.99
Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2006)
Review Date: 02-09-2026
This 2006 vintage from fallen dart leans firmly into the savory spectrum, opening with umami-rich, yeasty aromatics and a touch of breadiness from the lees. On the palate, the wine is structured yet inviting, finishing with a clean apple-crisp that keeps it focused. Subtle spice weaves through the mid-palate, while a very light hint of lemon adds just enough lift without pulling the wine into the light.
Price:
$79.99
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 02-09-2026
This Champagne opens with a distinctly yeasty, savory nose. On the palate, it’s round and softly textured, with lower perceived acidity that allows the wine’s umami character to take center stage. Notes of crumbly Parmesan cheese its salty, nutty, and aged there is also a lees-driven richness, giving the wine a comforting, almost culinary depth. Less about brightness and snap, more about warmth, savoriness, and texture, this is a Champagne that shines at the table.
Price:
$37.99
Damien Hugot "Hommage 1921" Extra Brut Champagne
Review Date: 02-09-2026
On the nose this champagne is more muted and reserved, opening slowly with lemon, followed by fresh apple. On the palate, the wine is bright and linear, driven by acidity rather than richness. The finish shows a distinct tanginess, giving it a sharp, refreshing snap that underscores its Extra Brut character. If your looking for a precise more dry champagne this one is for you
Price:
$49.99
Damien Hugot Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
Review Date: 02-09-2026
On the nose, this Champagne opens with crisp green apple and fresh lemon zest, The palate is light and bright, driven by high, mouthwatering acidity that keeps everything lifted and energetic. Breadiness is subtle, giving a quiet hint of brioche in the background this allows the citrus and orchard fruit to stay front and center. Clean, focused, and refreshing, this is a delicious, sharp, mineral-leaning Blanc de Blancs
Price:
$49.99
2018 Fallet-Dart Extra Brut Champagne
Review Date: 02-08-2026
The 2018 Fallet Dart Champagne is light, approachable, and so drinkable. Soft notes of brioche give it a classic Champagne warmth, while light lemon adds freshness and lift on the palate. Balanced and easygoing, this is a Champagne that is perfect for sipping while you cook dinner or for during a relaxed conversation. Further I'd like to add that this champagne punches well above its price point!
Price:
$49.99
2022 Clos la-Gaffelière, St-Émilion
Review Date: 02-08-2026
The 2022 Clos La Gaffelière is graceful and finely detailed. Aromas of blackberry are lifted by flower petals and gentle spice, giving the wine an immediately inviting profile. On the palate, a distinct chalky minerality, a slight sweetness rounds out the fruit and softens the structure. The balance between freshness, texture, and subtle richness makes this an great second wine.
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