Gary doesn’t often buy a wine before tasting it, but he knew he couldn’t go wrong with Bollinger. So when he opened up Bollinger’s newly released PNVZ15 for the first time, his instincts were pleasantly validated by the sumptuous deliciousness of this wine. We just received a tiny amount of this tiny-production wine, so it is not a purchase to ruminate on… it’s one to buy while we have it!
Read MoreThe 2013 Blanc de Blancs from Launois is an electric, mineral-driven style on the dry side of most bruts, and it pairs beautifully with take-out sushi.
Read MoreYou may have noticed that our Champagne Buyer Gary Westby drinks a lot of really good Champagne. So when one makes him stop and take notice, you can bet it’s exceptional. He had just such a moment over a bottle of Gosset’s NV Blanc de Noir. Paired with salmon mousse, the experience was nothing short of profound.
Read MoreNothing has quite the charm or depth of a Pinot Meunier-based Champagne done right. This past week Gary Westby drank and excellent bottle of the Mousse L'Or d'Eugene Perpetuelle Blanc de Noirs with pork rillettes as a little starter, and it certainly is one of the Meuniers that is done right.
Read MoreThe brilliance that is Laurent-Perrier's Rosé Champagne is well known to critics and collectors alike, but what is that makes this bottling so special? Gary Westby answers this very important question, while enjoying a perfect pairing of dim sum.
Read MoreOur Champagne Buyer, Gary Westy, is at it again, finding the perfect pairing for an extra special bottle of Champagne. The 2012 Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Alexandrine" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne is sourced the same Kimmeridgian clay soils that are found in Chablis, and the similarities don’t stop there. If you love clean, expressive Champagnes with the perfect touch of minerality, then you’ll certainly want to read on.
Read MoreOur Champagne Buyer, Gary Westby, had the good fortune to taste the 2010 vintage of Dom Pérignon Brut. “How was it,” you ask? In a word, amazing. Simply put, this is Champagne at its very best. Read on for Gary’s first impressions on this singular bottle of Champagne.
Read MoreOn the hunt for the perfect bubbly to pair with lighter fare? Then you simply must try our Champagne Buyer’s most recent find. Dover Sole with a spring vegetable risotto has never found a better partner…
Read MoreOur master of fizz, Gary Westby, tracks down another spectacular bottle of Bubbly. And it’s under $30!
Read MoreGary looks back fondly on his visit to Bollinger in the Aÿ region of Champagne. He met with Cyril Delarue, the sixth generation of the Bollinger family and Denis Bunner, the second-in-command of winemaking, and it was one of the best visits he’s ever had to a big Champagne house.
Read MoreThough it seems like a lifetime ago, only a few weeks have passed since Team Champagne was passing idyllic days meeting winemakers and evenings drinking and eating divinely. Scott Beckerley looks back at his favorite part of the trip: dinner with the folks at Laurent Perrier.
Read MoreGary and Scott visited Alexandre Le Brun, a do-it-yourself winemaker. The entire winemaking process from start to finish is his, and his alone. They were greeted at his winery by his cat, Ninja.
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