Chateau Le Grand Sigognac
Chateau Roc de Boisseaux
Chateau Rocher-Calon
Coulon Brut Champagne
Duval-Leroy Champagne
Feuillatte Champagne
Moet & Chandon Champagne
Mumms Champagne
Piper Heidsieck Champagne
Poul-Justine Champagne
Thienot Champagne
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Chateau Roc de Boisseaux 2000 Bordeaux, Saint Emilion Grand Cru
This 2000 Bordeaux boasts great structure with its blend of 70% merlot, 25% cabernet franc, and 5% cabernet sauvignon.
The palate is extremely interesting as earthly notes of sage and graphite flirt with licorice and black cherries.
This bottle was incredible as soon as it was opened and was in full bloom after a few hours of breathing.
The patient collector will be well rewarded by a few years of cellaring.
Retail price $32. Tasted December 4, 2003.
Funky, interesting, and well worth the investment earning three out of three  .
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Chateau Le Grand Sigognac 2000 Medoc
Bright wild cherry flavors sweep the palate as notes of cassis, chocolate,
white pepper, and cedar flirt with the mid-palate.
If you are going to drink this wine soon, open and allow several hours breathing time.
The acidity and tannins indicate that this wine will reward
those who lay it down for a few years.
A great price for a great Bordeaux, earning two out of three
 .
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Chateau Rocher-Calon 2000 Montagne-Saint-Emilion is a powerhouse
merlot based Bordeaux. The dark fruit explodes in your mouth with notes of
black cherries, plums, and pencil lead. The finish is an ample turn of black pepper on
your palate. This bottle will lay down for at least ten years. A bit of breathing
will allow the wine to open to its full potential, but we found incredible
flavors almost immediately.
Retail price $20. Tasted November 23, 2003.
A collectable earning three out of three
.
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Moet & Chandon Imperial Nectar NV
Delightful! The nose is rich with notes of dried apricots and summer flowers.
On the palate this Champagne boasts of ripe, ripe, peaches, lavender, and candied ginger.
This sparkler is elegant, yet not the slightest bit subtle.
Opening this bottle of Champaggne could be an event on its own.
Give a bottle of this to your true love. It is true Nectar!
Retail price $40. Tasted December 10, 2003.
Wonderful, rich, and exotic earning three out of three .
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Coulon Brut Cuvée Tradition NV
The first thing that impressed me about this Champagne was the fine, tiny bubbles and a beautiful golden color.
The nose is rich with ripe berries and white flowers.
On the palate the raspberry, pear, and lime zest notes dance across a rich, creamy, toasty, yeasty, honeyed stage.
This is an extremely well made bottle of Champagne, with a balance between "New World"
bright fruit and zesty acidity and "Old World" creamy, yeasty, fresh baked, spice bread flavors.
50% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, and 25% Chardonnay.
I've always been found of Champagnes that use more red grapes than
white and this little beauty didn't let me down.
This bottle is priced as a special, so get it while you can!
Retail price $33. Tasted December 2, 2003.
Rich, bright, yummy earning three out of three .
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Nicolas Feuillatte NV Brut
Wonderful citrus and creamy notes on the nose.
On the palate there are hints of tobacco, bright fruit flavors like starfruit and limes and rich hints of almond.
There is a faint flavor of blonde cherries...you know that ones...I believe
they're called "Queen Anne."
This Champagne is a Premier Cru*, which means the producers agrees to follow more
rigid guidelines in its production.
This is a very bright, good acidity, and very well crafted Champagne.
A premium bottle of Champagne for much less than you'd expect to pay.
The bottle is impressive too.
Retail price $30. Tasted December 3, 2003.
Quality and price intersect to bring a wonderful bottle earning two out of three
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Nicolas Feuillatte NV Blanc de Blanc
This bottle of sparkling has an incredible nose!
On the palate the wine is full, rich, and interesting.
It offers a yin and yang sensation with notes of mushroom, herbs,
and earth all on a prominent canvas of bright ripe raspberries, apples, and honey.
This Champagne is also Premier Cru*, which means the producers agree to follow more
rigid guidelines in production.
It is made from 100% chardonnay grapes.
(I know this one is over $30, but I couldn't resist sharing this Champagne with you.
It is very impressive.)
There 4500 growers in the Champagne region contributing to the Nicolas Feuillatte label.
Between them they farm nearly 2,200 hectares, which they grow according to the book,
paying careful attention to harmonizing quantity with quality.
This commitment to quality shows in every bottle.
Incredible Blanc de Blanc earning three out of three
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Mumms NV Cordon Rouge Brut
On the nose we found hints of lemons, apples, and peaches with a flirty vanilla note.
Wonderful bright fruit flavors dance on your tongue as zesty dryness follows
through offering great acidity.
Apricots, key limes, and starfruit appear as the acidity awakes your senses.
This is a very scrumptious bottle of Champagne with flirty glimpses of cream and
dried fruit on the mid-palate and finish.
The blend is 70% red grapes and 30% chardonnay.
Retail price $29. Tasted November 12, 2003.
Great quality and bright New World style earning two out of three
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Duval-Leroy Paris Cuvee NV Brut
What a beautiful bottle!
What a beautiful nose!
What a beautiful Champagne!
Great acidity explodes in your mouth with zest and power.
Clean, edgy, notes lime and lemon zest complimented by a sultry mineral note.
This image on this email does not do this bottle of Champagne justice.
The quality of this Champagne earns this beautiful cobalt blue bottle clad with gold artwork.
The artwork on the bottle is that of Leroy Neiman.
This cuvée is 40 % Chardonnay - 60% Pinot Noir.
A bright, delicious, bottle of wine.
This would make a perfect gift for someone special.
I warn you though...they may not ever want to open it!
Retail price $30. Tasted December 5, 2003.
Zesty, light and scruptious, earning three out of three
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Poul-Justine Brut 1er Cru NV
Very bright with notes of starfruit, green tea, lemons, limes, and honey.
There is an endearing rich quality on the mid-palate.
Another Premier Cru* Champagne,
proving that you can buy a higher quality Champagne for well under a $100.
The quality of this wine is impressive with its interesting flavors and well crafted balance
between fruit and acid.
The grapes are mostly from the 1998 vintage, but with some reserve juice is from 1993-1997.
It has a lovely toastiness with beautiful elegance that finishes with a lingering richness.
Some pinot noir fruit is evident with the richness and interesting flavors on palate.
50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir.
Quality meets low price earning three out of three .
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Thienot NV Brut
I found this bottle to be unusual in the fact that is embraces more of
an "Old World" style Champagne.
It was also the most distinct bottle in this set that we tasted.
It has a distinct yeasty creaminess, tobacco richness, subtle roasted caramel flavor, honeyed tones,
and hints of roasted hazelnuts.
The ripe fruit canvas compliments the toasted flavors with a great Synergy.
This bottle contains equal parts of all three of the traditional Champagne grapes and is aged an extra two years,
for a total of four years in the famous Champagne caverns.
Retail price $35. Tasted December 2, 2003.
Earns three out of three for it's unique style .
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Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne
The nose is bright and lively, like freshly sliced fruit wedges garnished with freshly
picked spring blossoms.
On the palate we experienced the same fresh bright sensation with green and red apple,
pear, and citrus zest.
On the mid-palate there is a hint of roasted, toasted, honey.
There is a well crafted balance between acidity and fruit.
The finish is very pleasant with lingering notes of honey and ripe fruit.
Retail price $33. Tasted November 23, 2003. A two star dazzler
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