K&L Wine Merchants - Chelsea Herholdt Reviews

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

Review Date: 09-14-2023

This is the 2nd time in a week that I have had the pleasure of enjoying this masterpiece of a wine, one of which was side by side with Iterations #25, 24, and 23. 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 had 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, 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

JS: 100

DC: 96

RP: 96

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: $34.99

Nicolas Maillart Grand Cru Brut Rosé Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

Bouzy is the Queen region for Pinot Noir in Champagne, and as such, Nicolas Maillart has made a Rosé from there that exudes queen-like power. On the lower end of still red wine blended into the vin clair, don't let the pale pink color fool you, she's structured and (enjoyably) edgy. The clean fresh strawberries on the nose are matched by a phenolic palate that makes this a universally great wine. It can be enjoyed alone or with food - surprise your friends (or yourself) by pairing this with a pork dish.

Price: $49.99

Didier Lapie Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

If you're stuck on what to pair some charcuterie with, Didier Lapie BdN of 100% Meunier is your new best friend. The nose exudes fresh cherries, and the palate is zesty, lively, and delicately structured. It almost craves something salty and meaty. 3 years on the lees and all stainless steel really allows you to experience the grape and terroir, and it's quite enjoyable.

Price: $29.99

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: $49.99

Egrot Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

This gorgeous bottle shares land with some top notch Pinot Noir based Champagne producers, and it sure shows. Strawberry preserves on the nose and a more structured and powerful and mineral driven palate are here, all coming together in a wonderfully classic feeling Champagne. The choice by Elizabeth Goutorbe to use all stainless steel gives you a beautiful peek into the Aÿ terroir. This is a "must have wine in my opinion, and would be fun to put side by side with a leaner style of Blanc de Blancs.

Price: $34.99

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

A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée Eloge" Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

This beautiful wine, in the best way, does not require food accompaniment or much thought at all, just a day that ends in 'Y'. It is a balanced and lively Champagne, perfect for Chablis lovers, or any and all sparkling wine folks. It will stand up to food if needed, but is enjoyable solo as well. Somehow, classic and modern all at once. I see no reason or time that would not be appropriate to open this gorgeous wine!

Price: $39.99

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: $39.99

Damien Hugot Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Review Date: 09-14-2023

The concentration here from this wonderful bottle is owed partially to vineyards planted back to the 60s. On the nose, candied citrus, baking spices, & honey cake. The chalky northernly site comes out on the palate in a firm minerality backbone and citrus vein continued from the nose. The foudre/solera usage here makes for a wine that has a ton of complexity and coveted Champagne nutty character.

Price: $34.99

2022 Copain "Daybreak" Sonoma Coast White Blend

Review Date: 09-14-2023

Move over Sauvignon Blanc, there's a new everyday white wine in town, and it has a lot more to offer. A super fun blend in here that makes an aromatic and perfectly textured wine - made for lovers of Italian and German whites. This is an easy food pairing wine, going well with cream sauce pastas, salads, and seafood, and a Friday afternoon.

Price: $29.95

WE: 92

2019 Robert Craig "Estate" Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 08-30-2023

Robert Craig has captured Howell Mountain and the 2019 vintage beautifully in this stunner of a release. Dark red fruits, sage brush, and spice jump out of the glass first. The low yields attained by their 2300ft elevation, ~1.8tons/acre, bring concentration and complexity to the balanced but forward palate. Present and firm tannins, balanced by an acidity and body that keeps the mouth ready for more, are sure to please any Napa lover. However, this will not leave any full bodied red wine drinker behind. I look forward to enjoying this wine in years to come - it runs with the highest quality wines in Napa and is sure to age with them.

Price: $99.95

VN: 97

DC: 96

RP: 94

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