Pinot Meunier

Laherte Freres “Les Beaudiers” Review – Rose de Saignee

One of the things we loved when visiting Laherte Freres in Champagne is that they had a strong focus on Blanc de Noir style wines- namely, white sparkling wines made from red grapes like Pinot Noir and Meunier.

Naturally, they also have a strong lineup of rose Champagne, and their Les Beaudiers bottle is one such example made exclusively with Menuier grown on old vines planted in the 1950s and 60s.

Naturally, we had to bring a bottle of this one home with us and we enjoyed it shortly thereafter.

Read more

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old No 4 Review – A Favorite

Veuve Clicquot has a reputation of being an iconic Champagne producer. From the easily recognizable yellow label, to legions of diehard followers (and critics), their non-vintage Champagne can be found and enjoyed the world over.

While we personally enjoy the yellow label bottle ourselves, we do recognize that it does come at a fair premium for what you get- especially in the United States with import markups added.

After visiting Veuve Clicquot during our Champagne wine tour, we tried another bottle, Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old No. 4 that became our new favorite from the producer. Why is that? Well, it is a blend of old, reserve wines only (the 4th edition had wines from 1996 to 2014 only), and, given that it is extra brut, has a fair bit less residual sugar than the standard bottle- all for not that much more in price (in the US, at least).

So if you are a critic of the yellow label for any reason (or are just a fan), be on the lookout for this one!

Read more

Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Review – A Delicious Champagne

The Champagne region is full of many famous producers whose names we easily recognize, but never have tried before.

After staring at Moet & Chandon’s Imperial Brut at the store for many years, we decided that it was time to finally try this famous wine. After trying this, we do have to admit, we can see why it is popular- although we wish the flavors were as intense as the aromas!

Read more

Pol Roger Reserve Brut NV Review – A Lot Going On

We’ve read about Pol Roger Reserve Champagne for many years, and it is always one of those bottles we put off buying due to a slightly higher price point than we’d normally prefer.

When we finally decided to grab one of these, we wondered why it took us so long. Yes, the price can be fairly high, but it is also a rather delicious bottle of sparkling wine!

Read more

Champagne Dumenil Amour de Cuvee Review – Classic Champagne

We’ve been fortunate enough to try most of Champagne Dumenil’s bottles due to them being available by a local distributor, and have tried many gems (including their Prestige Vieilles Vignes which has been one of our favorites we have tried to date).

Their Amour de Cuvee is a Blanc de Noir style made with Meunier and Pinot Noir which hit us with classic Champagne notes as well as modest lees and a bit of age to go along with it!

Read more

Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial NV Review – Subtle and Bubbly

Whenever we drink Champagne, we often go for the more common blanc de blanc or blanc de noir bottles over rose and other styles. But when we found Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial NV at a duty free store at an approachable price point, we knew we had to give it a try.

If you are looking for a sparkling wine with some intense red fruits and, admittedly, more mellow lees character, this one may need to be on your radar!

Read more

Veuve Clicquot Champagne Review – Delicious at a Price

Whenever we travel, especially to regions that are not known for wine production, we often pick up a bottle or two of sparkling wine at duty free to enjoy somewhere beautiful.

Whenever our duty free shopping happens in Europe, odds are good we are picking up a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne to enjoy if only because it is at a vastly lower price point than we are able to find at home.

For a bottle that you are paying for the name recognition as much as you are what is inside, a lower price point is always welcomed!

Read more

Dumenil Reserve 22 Review – A Well Balanced Champagne

We are big fans of Champagne Dumenil, and in the past have tried gems like their Dumenil 1999 and Dumenil Les Pecherines Cuvee which we adore.

Another bottle from this producer we finally got the chance to enjoy is their Reserve NV wine, Dumenil Reserve 22 edition, and while perhaps not as intense as the previous two bottles (which are on the higher end of their portfolio), it is still a gem for those looking for a bottle at a slightly lower price point!

Read more

Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne Review – Simply Perfect

We always love trying Champagne house’s premium production lines as they are always worth savoring and talking about. Bollinger’s Special Cuvee NV Champagne is no different.

What makes Bollinger’s Special Cuvee unique is that this wine is not a vintage Champagne. It has all the characteristics of being an intense, vintage bottle of bubbly but is instead made up of reserve wines that have been aging anywhere from five to 15 years made with grapes from grand and premier cru sites from all over Champagne.

So what you end up is an incredibly intense, powerful wine that can be enjoyed again, and again, and again- assuming you can find a bottle for sale, at least.

Read more

Dumenil 1999 Review – An Exquisite Aged Champagne

After going down the Champagne rabbit hole, we realized that there is Champagne and there is Champagne.

If you have had incredible Champagne, you know exactly what we mean about this. Strong acidity, pronounced fruit and lees notes, an incredible mouthfeel, and a finish that just hangs on.

While we generally like all bottles of Champagne that find their way to our table, only certain bottles are Champagne in this sense. These are often vintage or prestige blends that are some of the top of the line bottles from any producer and often come at a price to match.

Champagne Dumenil’s 1999 was one such bottle for us. Although this one clocked in at one of the highest price points we have ever paid for Champagne (about $120 a bottle), oh was it worth it.

Read more