A Regal Showing from Taittinger: 2008 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs

Last night, Cinnamon and I drank one of the most long-awaited prestige cuvée releases, the 2008 Taittinger "Comtes de Champagne" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne. I can’t remember fielding quite as many calls and emails for a Champagne since the 2002 Krug was released, and for good reason—this is a prestige cuvée that delivers on all of its promise. I had already been extremely impressed with another preview bottle on Saturday with the team at work, but, at home, with time and food, I was blown away.

Luxury Cuvées to Everyday Values: Our Champagne Newsletter

It’s no secret that we absolutely love Champagne at K&L. The reasons why are too many to count, but if we had to pick one, it could very well be the breathtaking diversity of this world-famous region. As such, our Champagne buyer, Gary Westby, makes the area’s impressive range of styles a central theme in this month’s newsletter. Gary and the team take us on a tour that winds its way to such locales as Tours-sur-Marne, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and Drachy—some of Champagne’s most revered and celebrated sites. Along the way they delve into many of the region’s biggest names, including Laurent-Perrier and Billecart-Salmon as well as lesser known producers such as Fallet-Dart. Represented in these pages is everything from luxury cuvées to outstanding values.

Something Extra: The Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs from Brochet

Last night, Cinnamon and I had the opportunity to compare two of the top cuvées from Louis Brochet, his Extra Noir and Extra Blanc. Both of these are made in small quantities from the oldest vines on the property, and given long aging on the lees, both over five years. It was fascinating to enjoy a pure Chardonnay and a pure Pinot Noir Champagne like these next to each other…

Bollinger’s PNVZ15 Blanc de Noirs

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!

Profound Blanc de Noir from Gosset

You 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.

Ten Memorable Champagnes in 2019

This coming February will mark twenty years for me here at K&L, and I feel truly blessed as I look back at a great 2019. It was very difficult for me to narrow this list down to just ten most memorable Champagnes, as I have been lucky enough to have had so many great bottles over the last twelve months. Most of the wines on this list I drank, not just tasted, and I am pleased to report that after all this time in the business, my enthusiasm for Champagne has not faded at all.

Ring in 2020 with Champagnes Under $30

It’s here—that time of year when Champagne gets the limelight it deserves: New Year’s Eve! Though you can definitely drink Champagne any time of the year (and should), you can’t drink anything but Champagne on New Year’s Eve. The gods demand it. You’re morally obliged. Hammurabi put it in his code.

K&L Wine Merchants

www.klwines.com