I don’t know if I am ready for a better Champagne to be released in 2024 than the 2012 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Louis" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne $199.99. I have been lucky enough to have tasted it three times since its release this April, and to drink it once at home as well. This is a Champagne that epitomizes the elegance of this great house, and of Grand Cru Chardonnay from the region.
Read MoreIn the part of Champagne known most for Pinot Noir, there is a magical place called La Perle Blanche de la Montagne de Reims, the east-facing slope of this small but prominent hill. The first village of this sub-region is the Premier Cru of Trépail, where the Petiau family tends to a small but exceptional vineyard... Because we buy the bottles directly from the family, the value is also outstanding.
Read MoreI have been waiting for the release of the 25th iteration of Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle for years, and, now that it is here, I am happy to say it has delivered on all my expectations.
Read MoreThanks to technology, today we were able to convene and do a virtual tasting, led by our Champagne Guru, Gary Westby. I’m thrilled to be able to taste again as a staff, and Gary’s presentation reminded me how much I love his Champagne program. If you haven’t been down the Champagne aisle in awhile, it’s a great time to take a stroll there—no celebration needed! Any of these bottles would make a day special.
Read MoreThe Henriot Cuvée Hemera is not a household name when it comes to tête de cuvée Champagne, but this is a wine that deserves to be much better known by Champagne lovers than it is. Unlike the most famous tête de cuvée offerings, this is a small-production Champagne with an extraordinarily strict selection and a very, very long ageing time on the lees. Some producers even offer “late disgorged” Champagne that is younger than the current release of the Hemera.
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