Champagne Wine

Winemaker Description 

A. Margaine Special Club 2018 is a rare gem within Champagne — not only for its refined profile, but also for belonging to the exclusive “Special Club” group (aka Club Trésors de Champagne), a seal of excellence reserved for the best wines from small producers in the region. Produced from Chardonnay vineyards grown in Villers-Marmery, an atypical terroir of the Montagne de Reims, this cuvée perfectly translates the balance between finesse, structure, and minerality. A vigneron who only makes elegant champagne.

A. Margaine Special Club 2018 is a rare gem within Champagne — not only for its refined profile, but also for belonging to the exclusive “Special Club” group (aka Club Trésors de Champagne), a seal of excellence reserved for the best wines from small producers in the region. Produced from Chardonnay vineyards grown in Villers-Marmery, an atypical terroir of the Montagne de Reims, this cuvée perfectly translates the balance between finesse, structure, and minerality. A vigneron who only makes elegant champagne.

A Margaine Champagne - a small family owned vineyard run by father and daughter. Mathilde Margaine is the 5th generation, and first woman, to oversee the Margaine estate. Currently she still works with her father in all aspects of the domaine, from the vineyards to the winery. 

Their wine is produced in Villers-Marmery in the Montagne de Reims region. However, they are anomaly. Why? Most producers in this part of Champagne produce exclusively Pinot Noir. Instead, Blanc de Blancs is produced giving simply delicious hauntingly beautiful and original Champagnes you can drink. 

Delight in the elegance of A Margaine 1er Cru Le Brut NV, a refined Champagne that perfectly balances freshness and finesse. Bursting with vibrant notes of citrus, green apple, and delicate brioche, its fine bubbles and crisp acidity make every sip celebratory. Ideal as an aperitif or paired with seafood and light dishes, this NV Champagne embodies the artistry of the Premier Cru vineyards and the house’s dedication to excellence.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 94 Points | A layered wine with spicy, almost stony, minerality. Salted lemons and oranges. Crisp on the palate with light to medium body and flavors of strawberries and restrained pastry. Chalky mineral aftertaste. Dosage 6 g/L.

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | Smoke and forest floor notes lead the way here, with the chalky texture carrying subtle flavors of grilled nut, lemon meringue and dried currant. Balanced, offering smoke details on the fresh finish. 

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | Based on the 2020 vintage, complemented with 42% of réserve wines from 2016 to 2019, the NV Brut Majeur offers up a fresh, minty bouquet of lemon oil, pear, white peach and herbs. Moderately weighted, fresh and tense, it's incisive with bright acids and long, ethereal finish. This blend of 55% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier is a lively, harmonious Champagne.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | The NV Champagne Majeur Brut is inviting, with ripe aromas of lemon balm, pear, and fresh baked bread. The mousse fills the palate and cleans up with pithy orange, parmesan, and dusty chalk. I like this for its lightly savory touch and a bit more concentration. Best after 2022.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Desription

Every Barons de Rothschild Champagne has exceptional characteristics that make each unique and great. The  Barons de Rothschild Brut is aerial Champagne that is rich and complex. The blend uses three to four-year old Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs from the best land in Champagne.

This subtle blend produces a wine with fabulously fine bubbles, elegant golden colour and fine, delicate nuances of white fruit. Low dosage and at least six months’ time after disgorging gives this Champagne beautifully balanced structure on the palate that is highly appreciated when served as the aperitif or throughout the meal.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 90 Points | A well-cut Champagne, with a fine bead, this offers a mouthwatering range of nectarine, salted almond, honeysuckle and biscuit flavors. Elegant, featuring a lightly spiced finish.

James Suckling 92 Points | Lots of bread-dough and dried-apple character with lemon undertones. Roasted-nut and bread-dough undertones. Fine bubbles. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish. Drink now. 

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 92 Points | This delicate rosé has aromas of wildflower honey, sliced apples, biscuits and chalk. Silky and fresh on the palate, with fine bubbles and a pretty finish. 94% chardonnay from the Cotes des Blancs with 6% pinot noir red wine from Ambonnay.

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | A rich and smoky hint of roasted nut underscores flavors of baked white cherry and pink grapefruit granita in this lively rose Champagne, with a subtle, creamy finish. Drink now through 2021. 5,000 cases made, 83 cases imported.

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The NV Rosé rendition of Barons de Rothschild Champagne, a blend of 94% Chardonnay complemented by 4% Pinot Noir and disgorged with six grams per liter of dosage, reveals a shy, elegant bouquet with aromas of lemon oil, rose petal and red berries. Medium to full-bodied, enveloping and juicy, it’s generous with bright acids and a delicate, phenolic finish.

Decanter 90 Points | Vivid apricot and raspberry aromatics lead to a palate of lemon peel, ripe cherry, pink pomelo and grapefruit.

Memo Pairing Suggestions

Food Pairings: Its high Chardonnay content makes it an excellent match for umami-rich dishes like sushi, sashimi, or tuna tartare. It also pairs beautifully with pink lamb, truffled veal, or red fruit-based desserts that are not too sweet.

Winemaker Description

For its 170th anniversary, Maison Besserat de Bellefon gave its cellar master, Cédric Thibault, the freedom to imagine an exceptional cuvée expressing the best of his style. Perfect for special occasions, this extraordinary champagne will pair perfectly with lobster or haddock.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | This limited-edition wine is a blend of grand cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Aged for 10 years in bottle, it is a steely, structured wine that brings sophistication to the white fruits and lively acidity. Drink now.  

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 93 Points: Lovely aromas of raspberries, gingerbread, toast and honey on the nose. I like the generosity and concentration of flavor on the palate, with a medium body and soft, creamy bubbles. Long finish. 43% meunier, 29% chardonnay and 28% pinot noir, with over 50% reserve wines. Blend of 15 vintages, with percentages based on the 2020 vintage, back to 2006. Delicious now.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 91 Points: This blend of 43% Pinot Meunier, 29% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir, with 71% vins de réserve and 10% perpetual reserve, the NV Brut Réserve offers up aromas of spring flowers, herbs, blossoms, lime and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, tense and precise, with a crystalline texture enhanced by bright acids, this is a long, delicate and ethereal Champagne. It matured 8% in barrels and 36 months on the lees in bottle, followed by six months after disgorgement with three grams per liter dosage.

Wine Enthusiast 92: This Champagne is a classic. The nonvintage wine shows real richness and depth. It is structured, open with a honeyed aroma and ripe, rounded white fruits.

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description

Persistent mousse, with fine bubbles rising slowly. Pale salmon pink in color, with a shade of gold. A nose of red fruits and fresh pear. Delicate fruit on the palate, elegant, and showing great finesse. 

Expert Reviews 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Best after 2022.

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive salmon color with aromas of dried strawberries and lemons, as well as hints of flowers. Full-bodied with tight tension from the fine phenolics that run through the palate. Hints of white pepper, peaches and sliced green strawberries with some candied lemons, too. Always an excellent bottle. 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Drink now.

91 Points Decanter | Currently based on the 2016 harvest, this is floral and citrussy, showing a lithe, graceful balance. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier, with about 40% of reserve wine, and red wine accounts for 7% of the blend. Its delicate, subtly expansive flavours of raspberry and strawberry are enlivened by a tangerine-like acidity, and while it feels ripe and full in flavour on the palate, it never loses its sense of refinement and poise, finishing with detailed length and depth.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | A fine composition of red fruits and taut citrus, this Champagne is poised and fragrant with acidity and light tannins.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

Winemaker Description 

This seventh Rendez-Vous is all about the Meunier grape variety from the Venteuil terroir on the right bank of Vallée de la Marne. Its sunny exposure and its predominantly clay soil offer this wine a fine maturity. Made on the base of the 2018 vintage, it benefits from a long ageing on lees for 63 months. Meticulous selection, focusing on the purity of the fruit and the balance of flavours, always with a low dosage. 

Generous, delicious flavours, borne upon infused fruits (cherries in syrup, fresh pear, pomegranate), developing towards a vibrant finish with tart saline inflexions. 

Expert Review - Edition Eight

James Suckling by Claire Nesbitt writes 94 Points | This has aromas of orchard fruit like apples and pears, plus grapefruit, sea shells and bread crust. Chalky minerality on the palate, which has a lively acidic backbone. Tight bubbles. Dry, driven and chalky finish. Meunier from the 2018 harvest. Vinified in stainless steel with full malolactic. 3.9 g/L dosage. Disgorged October 2024. Drink now. 

Winemaker Description

This eighth Rendez-Vous reveals the Meunier grape variety and expresses the full mineral tension of the terroir of Leuvrigny with its predominantly chalky soil. Made on the base of the 2018 vintage, this single-cru champagne benefits from long ageing for 63 months. Meticulous selection, focusing on the purity of the fruit and the balance of flavours, always with a low dosage. 

Delicious saline creaminess borne upon tart juicy fruit (fresh mango, redcurrant, pomelo), expressing a pure elegant delicacy. A long, refreshing finish with flavours of white cherry, buckwheat and shortbread, takes over from chalky notes. 

Winemaker Description

Its pale and bright pink colour is adorned with warm glints of gold and its delicate slowly rising bubbles give it a persistent mousse. This cuvée unveils a subtle aroma leading to an elegant, delicate bouquet of fine notes of red fruits and zest of citrus fruits. Its special method of vinification gives this cuvée a light, elegant flavour, followed by a fresh finish with a taste of raspberry.This rosé champagne is an ideal partner as an aperitif and can also accompany a dish of wild salmon or sushi. For dessert, it will add a sublime touch to red fruit flavours. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | Such an elegant, ethereal wine, this orange-pink wine is dry and crisp with fruity raspberry flavor at the fore. This particular bottling could improve for a year, but makes a great food Champagne now.

James Suckling 94 Points | An subtle nose with plenty of fine autolysis aromas of fresh bread and sweetly fragrant yeasty notes, plus some gentle spice and chalky notes. The palate unleashes beautiful wild strawberry fruit flavors, super fresh, fleshy and pure. Great balance and depth. Drink now. 

Expert Reviews 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Best after 2022.

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive salmon color with aromas of dried strawberries and lemons, as well as hints of flowers. Full-bodied with tight tension from the fine phenolics that run through the palate. Hints of white pepper, peaches and sliced green strawberries with some candied lemons, too. Always an excellent bottle. 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Drink now.

91 Points Decanter | Currently based on the 2016 harvest, this is floral and citrussy, showing a lithe, graceful balance. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier, with about 40% of reserve wine, and red wine accounts for 7% of the blend. Its delicate, subtly expansive flavours of raspberry and strawberry are enlivened by a tangerine-like acidity, and while it feels ripe and full in flavour on the palate, it never loses its sense of refinement and poise, finishing with detailed length and depth.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | A fine composition of red fruits and taut citrus, this Champagne is poised and fragrant with acidity and light tannins.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

Persistent mousse, with fine bubbles rising slowly. Pale salmon pink in color, with a shade of gold. A nose of red fruits and fresh pear. Delicate fruit on the palate, elegant, and showing great finesse. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Reviews

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 91 Points | The NV Brut Rosé (base 2020) is another wine that points to the progress Mathieu Roland-Billecart has made here in recent years. Pliant, creamy and super-expressive, this edition is striking. It has a good bit of textural richness and is fresher than the 2018 tasted alongside it. Of course, some of that may be as simple as time in bottle. Pomegranate and grapefruit are laced into the brisk, finely cut finish. This release is based on 2020, with 46% reserve wines back to 2014. Dosage is 4.7 grams per liter. Disgorged: second trimester 2023.  Drinking 2024 to 2030.

Tim Hewson of Decanter writes 92 Points | Based on the 2020 vintage, Billecart-Salmon's signature rosé appears to be on its finest form of recent years under cellar master Florent Nys, full of fragrant, crunchy redcurrant, red cherry and orange fruit with an alluring hibiscus-like floral lift and subtle green peppercorn spicing. The Meunier wraps the intensity of the vintage base in a little softness that keeps the focus on effortless ease (helped by the selection of delicate Chardonnays and young, fresh reserve wines), all adding up to a rosé of immediacy and charm, sweet-natured without sweetness and fragrant without overt fruitiness. 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

James Suckling 96 Points | Enticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding in toasted walnuts, honey and a dash of bitter marmalade. It’s mouth-filling, alive with acidity and full of finesse.

Wine Spectator 96 Points | This expressive Champagne features a rich, well-spiced range of flavors chiseled by well-honed, integrated acidity, which lends a racy feel to the ripe black cherry and mulberry fruit and notes of salted almond, pink grapefruit granita, crystallized honey and pickled ginger that ride the raw silk–like mousse. Hints of chalk and spring blossoms play on the clean-cut, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Vinous 96 Points | Bollinger's 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There's real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.

The Wine Advocate 95+ Points | The 2015 Brut La Grande Année was disgorged last year with eight grams per liter dosage. The wine has turned out beautifully, exhibiting a more muscular, old-school Bollinger profile in contrast to the unusually racy, fine-boned 2014 that preceded it. Wafting from the glass with notes of pear, orange oil and white flowers mingled with notions of mocha, toasted hazelnuts and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with a dense core of fruit framed by chalky structuring extract, concluding with a long, sapid finish. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2014 

Vinous 98 Points | Bollinger’s 2014 La Grande Année is a great way to start the evening as guests mill around Wheeler Farms. It is early evening in Napa, but there is still plenty of action in the winery, where various lots are being pressed under the watchful eye of winemaker Nigel Kinsman. There are some moments where I would very much like to be a civilian, a regular person enjoying the night, but I am more concerned with our guests having a great night, so I quickly go back to check on our wines. The Bollinger 2014 is everything I expected; bright, focused and full of all the energy this late-ripening vintage conferred to the best wines. 

Producer Description 

La Grande Année: The Great Year. This Champagne is the embodiment of everything that makes Bollinger the producer that stands apart in Champagne. La Grande Année symbolizes the word “hand-crafted” so strongly that an overused word suddenly becomes the appropriate definition. 

La Grande Année is only produced in the most outstanding of vintages, where ripeness and acidity reach a perfect balance and aging potential is excellent.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 97 Points |  Like a racing spinnaker, this is tightly trimmed yet voluminous in character. Toasty notes of roasted almond and vanilla wafer are deftly integrated with sun-dried black cherry, baked peach, blood orange sorbet and candied ginger flavors, all well-defined by racy acidity and a subtle streak of salinity. This is long and fragrant, with pain d'épices, graphite and tea rose notes playing on the finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged February 2024. Drink now through 2040.

William Kelley of the Wine Advocate writes 96 Points | Bollinger's 2015 Brut La Grande Année Rosé was disgorged in May last year with seven grams per liter dosage. Offering up deep aromas of orchard fruits, blood orange, mandarin rind and peach mingled with nuances of coffee, praline and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, with a broad attack that segues into a vinous palate framed by high levels of structuring dry extract that makes its presence felt on the sapid, nutty and penetrating finish. Given the skin maturity and inherent structure of the year, the Bollinger team elected to include only 4.5% of still red wine in the blend, a comparatively low percentage.

Expert Reviews

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | (Tasting Date November 17, 2023) |  A rich though youthful golden hue, the NV Champagne Special Cuvée Brut is classic and ripe with lush, rounded, and complex aromas of golden apricot, hazelnut, wet stone, and black cherry. Made with 45% of the wine coming from the 2019 vintage, with 55% reserve wine, it’s full-bodied yet elegant and light on its feet, with a ripe and luxurious feel and just a hint of warmth on the finish. The mousse is refined and rounded. Long on the palate, it's inviting now but will have plenty of life ahead of it if stored property. This exceptional cuvée with its distinctive personality continues to be one of the best entry wines to the range from this house and is a benchmark wine for them.

James Suckling 93 Points |  (Reviewed August 7, 2023) Lovely density and a fine-bubble texture. Dried apple and apricot with hints of dried flowers. Medium to full body. with medium-rich fruit. Spice, zest and ginger character. Usually 10% in barrel. 60% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 15% pinot meunier. About 40% reserve wine kept in magnums. Always really well done. Drink now.

Decanter 95 Points | If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It’s classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on. 

Jancis Robinson 17/20 Points (Tasted October 14, 2022) |  Look out for that lot code, as this is a particularly stunning rendition of Bollinger, almost certainly improved with the bottling in magnum. Very fine texture, quite deeply coloured, remarkably fine mousse. Savoury, biscuity notes on the palate. Great length – a lovely example.  - Jancis Robinson 17

Robert Parker 92 Points |  Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger's NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it's a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.  Drinking 2021 - 2025.

Crafted entirely from Pinot Noir grown in the chalky soils of the Val Vilaine parcel, this cuvée represents the precise, minimalist vision of Cédric Bouchard—one of Champagne’s most celebrated grower-producers.

The VVR21 comes from a meticulously tended 1.5-hectare plot and is produced in extremely limited quantities, with no blending, no fining, no filtration, and no dosage. The result is a Champagne of remarkable purity and tension.

On the nose, it reveals delicate aromas of red berries, crushed stone, and white flowers. The palate is focused and vibrant, with layers of wild strawberry, blood orange, and chalky minerality, all carried by a fine, persistent mousse. Bone-dry yet generous in expression, this Blanc de Noirs finishes with striking clarity and length.

An elegant, terroir-driven Champagne that rewards both immediate enjoyment and cellaring.

Winemaker Description 

Made entirely from meticulously maintained Pinot Noir. A restrained, lovely Champagne. There is no dosage and the wine has spent 16 months on its lees before being recently disgorged. The parcel, in Val Vilaine, is a one and a half hectare plot that makes just over 300-500 cases annually.

Winemaker Description 

When Edmond de AYALA founded the House in 1860, he focussed on crafting a champagne with a distinct and recognisable style, known today as AYALA Brut Majeur. A pure and balanced champagne which showcases the diverse personalities of Champagne’s different Terroirs.

Crafted with a unique diversity of crus from Champagne’s vineyard, this cuvée is a multi-cru and multi-vintage blend with Chardonnay as main grape variety.

To preserve this pure style, the House brings its expertise and meticulous approach to the micro-vinification process, always with a minimum of intervention on wines.

Champagne Charles Le Bel “1818” Brut is the second label of Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve NV.  Charles Le Bel “1818” Brut NV is a delicious, classic champagne with aromas of brioche, almonds and pears. An excellent quality/price ratio and an exceptional opportunity to get this champagne for parties and grandiose evenings.

Blend: Chardonnay 37%, Pinot Meunier 30%, Pinot Noir 33% (Reserve wine 70%)

Winemaker Description 

Sparkling and crystalline with fine and plentiful bubbles.Aroma: A blooming nose with harmonious notes of butter, white flesh fruits as well as Mirabelleplums and dried fruits.

A well balanced mouth, structured thanks to the greatness of the Pinots Noirs, with flavours of white flesh fruits. The Chardonnays bring to this wine a refreshing finish with notes of citrus fruits and pepper. Chardonnay 37%, Pinot Meunier 30%, Pinot Noir 33%Reserve wine 70%, Dosage 9g/l.

Expert Reviews 

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  The NV Champagne Le Mesnil Sur Oger Brut is a terrific Champagne, offering lots of juicy citrus and stone fruits as well as more apple and brioche characteristics with time in the glass. Possessing a medium-bodied, fresh, lively style, with a distinct minerality on the palate, it has an elegant mousse, fine acidity, and a great finish. The blend is 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and the balance Pinot Meunier, with only a portion of the blend going through malolactic fermentation.  - Jeb Dunnuck 90

William Kelley writes:  The latest release of Delamotte's NV Brut is especially charming, bursting with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, peach and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and enveloping, it's a fleshy, giving wine that's ample and pliant, with a pinpoint mousse and a nicely defined finish.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 97 Points | A super-complex Champagne with chewy tension. Aromas of coffee beans, lemon peel, burnt sugar, chalky minerality, barley candy and tarte tatin. Fine pinprick bubbles with flavors of lemon leaves, aspirin and Mirabelle plums, plus a touch of grapefruit bitterness keeping the tension. Zesty yet integrated chewy acidity and a medium body with a toasted finish. Drink of hold.
96 Vinous

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | The 2015 Dom Pérignon is terrific. Bright and poised, the 2015 shows terrific energy. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. There's gorgeous tension and backbone here, with bright saline notes that extend the mid-palate and finish. This is a fine showing in a vintage that has proven to be tricky. I am intrigued to see how the 2015 develops in the coming years.

The Wine Spectator 95 Points | Disgorged in January 2023, the 2015 Dom Pérignon shows a singular, ethereal profile with aromas of white pepper, iodine, ripe orchard fruits, toast, smoke, herbs and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and structured, it’s enveloping and round with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that underlines chalky dry extracts, concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish with gastronomic bitterness. This iteration of Dom Pérignon, though replete with the customary charm and vinous generosity that typify the label, distinguishes itself by its structural delicate austerity and a notably phenolic profile, giving rise to a remarkably linear and well-defined style that diverges markedly from the more familiar expressions of Dom Pérignon. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.

Decanter 94 Points | There's a well-spiced, zesty edge to the flavors of glazed apple, mandarin orange peel, pink grapefruit pith and crème de cassis as they ride the finely detailed mousse of this fresh, focused Champagne. This vivid display is enriched by notes of canelé pastry, chopped almond, pastry cream, smoke and vanilla, all coming to the forefront through the midpalate and chiming on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2035.

Winemaker Description

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 stands out for its complex aromatic flavor profile combining intense roasted and cocoa notes, balanced by delicate floral aromas of lime blossom, jasmine and peony. Elevated by a bouquet of spices such as aniseed and cardamom, Dom Pérignon 2015 also offers a fruity, botanical freshness, with subtle hints of orange and green papaya. This blend of flavors creates the perfect taste harmony for lovers of fine wine.The 2015 vintage wine is characterized by its breadth and delicacy, offering a unique sensory experience. Notes of peach, nectarine, citrus and gentian create a harmonious blend, giving the wine a rich texture and a diverse aromatic palate. This rich, well-balanced cuvée captures the essence of the exceptional terroirs from which it comes, promising a memorable wine tasting experience.

Winemaker Description

Mevushal. The Carte d'Or cuvée is the very expression of the Drappier style. With its very high proportion of Pinot Noir, one is almost tasting a Blanc de Noirs. Champagne with a fine aromatic richness, it opens with aromas of stoned fruits such as white vineyard peach. A spicy hint announces a powerful complex palate. A vinous Champagne of lovely complexity with a characteristic note of quince jelly. 

Ideal as an apertif. At the table, it goes with white meats, rolled fish fillets, Chaource cheese. 

Expert Reviews

91 Points Robert Parker | Disgorged in April 2021, Drappier's new NV Brut Carte d'Or delivers attractive aromas of golden orchard fruit, stone fruit, honeycomb and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's charming and elegantly vinous, with a flavorful core of fruit, lively acids and a chalky finish.

91 Points James Suckling | This has aromas of pear tart, pie crust, praline and apricot. Bright, with a creamy mousse and attractive biscuity and nutty layers. Dry feel at the end. 80% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay and 5% pinot meunier. Dosage 5,5 g/L.

91 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Carte d’Or Brut is 75% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier, and the remainder Chardonnay, with 6.5 grams per liter dosage. There is 80% base wine from the 2019 vintage and the remainder reserve wine. This is their historical style, with the nose offering up aromas of ripe apricot, yellow flowers, and cherry liqueur. The palate is round and a bit more structured, with more stone fruit and kirsch. Best after 2022.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Racy acidity enlivens this crisp and lacy Champagne. Well-knit, with the delicate mix of ripe white cherry, blanched almond, yellow plum and grated ginger flavors.

The Carte d'Or cuvée is the very expression of the Drappier style. With its very high proportion of Pinot Noir, one is almost tasting a Blanc de Noirs. Champagne with a fine aromatic richness, it opens with aromas of stoned fruits such as white vineyard peach. A spicy hint announces a powerful complex palate. A vinous Champagne of lovely complexity with a characteristic note of quince jelly.

Ideal as an apertif. At the table, it goes with white meats, rolled fish fillets, Chaource cheese. Winemaker Description.