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By: Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
I am not allowed to have favorite champagnes, but any survey of my recycling bin would reveal that this holds a very special place in my heart. This wine is single vineyard, from the very steep Gouttes d’Or site in Brouillet, and has a very different style than the Chardonnay from the Cotes de Blancs. This is creamy, decadent wine, and great on its own or with any shelfish. I love how this wine is always clean and refreshing, but has depth that makes me always come back for more!
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By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/30/2020 | Send Email
This Champagne is lively, bright and fresh. It is dry but also a little juicy and has a nice balance of flavors. One glass is not enough.
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By: Diana Turk | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 1/2/2018 | Send Email
Delicious and elegant, this paper-wrapped Champagne is a departure from the searing acid of Blanc de blancs and instead shows golden apple fruit up front, followed by toastiness and a luxurious mouthfeel. Though there is a crisp backbone of minerality from the fossil-rich soil, this is a slightly unusual offering in that it’s 100% Chardonnay with a creamier spin. The current release is from a single vineyard and spends over five years on the lees. Paul-Vincent Ariston is committed to making exceptional value Champagne, and there’s no doubt he’s accomplished that here. Aspasie Blanc de blancs is textured and age worthy, and I love turning savvy drinkers on to this family-owned favorite.
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By: Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 12/22/2017 | Send Email
Lovely wine. Bright, fresh, excellent combination of chalky, zestiness and nutty, toasty lees quality. The texture is fine and really drawn out on the palate. I am a fan of Aspasie's "entry level" Carte Blanche...but this is a cut above and worth the small increase in outlay.
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By: Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/12/2016 | Send Email
I recently enjoyed this while relaxing in a hot tub on a nice summer evening in California; it was perfect! Fresh and pronounced flavors of pear and apricot combine with a crisp acidity and lush creaminess for a wine fresh and approachable in style. The perfect accompaniment to any moment of leisure, at a price far below its value!
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By: Dave Genevro | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/21/2015 | Send Email
A great wine from Champagne under $40?! I was shocked not only at the price, but the wine inside the bottle is really great stuff. It is a perfect sparkling wine for entertaining or at your dinner table. The apples/pear fruits on the nose and palate and the expressive nature of this wine makes it appeal to palates almost all the way across the board.
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By: Kyle Kurani | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 3/4/2015 | Send Email
The Aspasie Blanc de Blancs is a bottle I reach for time and time again. Perfect for almost any occasion that I can think of, from parties to picnics there is something here for everyone. From the immediate aesthetics of the clear glass holding in the beautiful straw gold elixir, to the beautiful breadth and depth that comes from single vineyard Chardonnay. Sun ripe stone fruits greet you, followed by lemon curd and a hit of toasty baguette. The textures is opulent, a kiss of minerality, and a long beautiful finish.
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By: Sarah Covey | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/15/2015 | Send Email
I just threw our family's first baby shower for my brother and sister-in-law, and this was the Champagne of choice to celebrate the new little life on the way! I love this Champagne for its easy and yet elegant personality. Apple, cream, citrus, and mineral with the stunning golden wine visible through the clear glass. It looks gorgeous on ice at a party, and its accesibility make it a total win for Champagne neophytes and connoiseurs alike!
Top Value!
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By: Mari Keilman | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/3/2015 | Send Email
Since their beginning in 1794, Ariston Pere et Fils has been the true epitome of a “grower-producer” Champagne house. The Ariston family has worked together for 5 generations to harvest and gently press the grapes in their own cellars to obtain the balance and finesse that represents their signature house style and terroir. What’s remarkable when tasting the Ariston Blanc de Blancs is that you can truly smell and taste the fossil rich soil. You can close your eyes and envision the steep hillsides drenched in sunlight as the grapes surrounding you ripen to a golden apple flavor.
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By: Heather Vander Wall | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/2/2015 | Send Email
Elegance and complexity combine to make this an incredibly intriguing champagne. Delicate white flower and toasted almond/hazelnut on the nose give way to soft pear and a hint of vanilla on the palate. Gorgeous now, but I'm excited to see how this wine develops in the next few years!
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By: Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 1/26/2015 | Send Email
The Ariston family are some of my favorite winemakers who produce some of the best small-estate champagnes that we carry. This blanc de blanc is no exception. It carries their reputation for excellent quality at an affordable price. This is a creamy, rich style of blanc de blanc with a rich mousse and lemon meringue flavors. Fleshy, without being heavy, it has a long, subtle finish of apple and pear fruit. A great way to start a party or meal!
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By: Jeff Garneau | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 12/31/2014 | Send Email
The current disgorgement of the Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne is perhaps a little firmer, a little less open knit than previous bottlings. But the tradeoff is more focus, more purity, and more length. Quite dry, but with remarkable sweetness of fruit and a light toast that adds depth and character. The ideal New Year's Eve companion - complex enough to be interesting but not so serious as to dominate the conversation.
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By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/2/2012 | Send Email
Wow what complexity for $35. The nose is nutty toasty rich with some hints of pumpkin seed and spice. Strong smashed apple and fabulous lift. Totally on point for the price.
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By: Adam Parry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/27/2011 | Send Email
The Aristons' vineyards are vastly different than those of the the other blanc de blancs producers that we carry in the store. This is a creamy style Chardonnay Champagne that is always a crowd pleaser. An excellent value.
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By: Jim Boyce | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/27/2011 | Send Email
Crisp and clean with light fruit on the palate, this Ariston Blanc de Blanc is a real crowd pleaser! Apple nose and a creamy body balanced with a solid mineral mid palate makes for a slightly more complex blanc de blanc thats affordable. Grab a couple bottles for your next occcasion!
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By: Christie Brunick | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 1/5/2011 | Send Email
Ariston has done it again! They have created a Blanc de Blanc Champagne that is so unique and special compared to all the typical blanc de blancs on the shelf. Right off the bat after the Champagne Pop you get a whiff of the aromas of fresh baked brie, ripe apple, and Gruyere fondue...followed by a mysterious mid-palate chalk full of minerals and body. This isn't your typical super racy and tight blanc de blanc. It is fully developed into a mature ready to drink state of mind. Finishes with caramelized fruit and nuts...Enjoy!!
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By: Steve Bearden | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 12/29/2009 | Send Email
Chardonnay from Brouillet makes a richer, creamier style of Blanc de Blanc than other areas of Champagne. This is an easy to like style that is perfect for less formal occasions like New Year's eve toasts and quiet sipping during parties. This generous, rich bubbly is an amazing deal to direct buy pricing.
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