Sparkling

Expert Reviews 

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 92 Points | The fine and creamy bead of this elegant rosé carries an attractive mix of white cherry, peach, blood orange granita and biscuit flavors, enlivened by a firm frame of mouthwatering acidity.

Audrey Frick of Jeb Dunnuck writes 90 Points | The NV Champagne Grand Brut Rosé pours a medium salmon hue and is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (8% of which is red wine). It is juicy with ripe raspberry, crushed flowers, and sweet citrus. The palate is ripe with apricot, sweet tangerine, and a soft texture. It is ready to drink now or over the next 6-8 years.

Winemaker Description 

This Grand Rosé has a high percentage of Chardonnay, which creates freshness and precision, complemented by Pinot Noir with delivers very fine and crunchy fruit. With 4 years minimum ageing in the cellars, this Rosé balances between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. The nose reveals aromas of citrus and strawberries with subtle notes of red berries and spice. The palate is well-built with a constant balance between the tension of the acidity and the smoothness of the fruit, while the finish shows a nice roundness and lovely minerality.

Expert Reviews

Simon Field MW, Tim Hall, Anne Krebiehl MW write: Meringue, hints of lavender with notes of molten candle wax on the nose. The palate brings out the fruitiness of fresh cut apple flesh, wild honey, and quince. Brisk and satisfying. - Decanter 90

Tim Fish writes: A fan-friendly style, with easygoing pear and dried apricot flavors accented by cinnamon and spices. Drink now. - Wine Spectator 

Winemaker Description

This nearly garnet-red rosé, like all of Gruet's non-vintage sparkling wines, is aged 24 months en tirage. It has a lovely, bright floral bouquet with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. On the palate, it is rich and fruity in a dry, brut style. The flavor of berries continues on the palate, revealing more strawberry, raspberry, cherry. 

Expert Review

90 Points Tasting Panel | Bright pink color with juicy strawberry nose; dense and fresh with good balance and style. 100% Pinot Noir at 12% ABV.

Producer Description

H by Hine is whimsical. If it were a young man, it would have the keen eye of Dick Diver in Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night. Adventurous, lively and elegant, it is the ideal sidekick for daring cocktails and a flamboyant soloist when served neat with a dash of cold tonic. Expressive yet discreet, its notes of iris, fresh apricot, acacia and white pepper chime with its sprightly and joyful demeanour. Feels like Coachella in a bottle.

H by Hine is a young cognac with a taste for adventure and originality. Serve frozen in a shot glass with sashimi. Or simply over ice with tonic, cider or ginger ale, garnished with a twist of lime, cucumber or rosemary. Add as a surprising twist to a punch when too many friends show up with very little time, or simply drizzle over a fresh peach salad.

Producer Description

Hardy XO Rare Cognac is a version of the “Tradition” range from the house of Hardy Cognac. The brandy mixture is deliciously aged, giving a spirit of a beautiful amber color. The layered palate is a continuous evolution of inspiring flavors. This smooth Cognac has irresistible aromas and a deliciously long finish. 

Winemaker Description 

The Brut Souverain is the most historical cuvée in the region, as it was the first cuvée Apolline Henriot produced in 1808. Apolline aspired to put the light on her vineyards through the expression of a champagne. According to her, one year was not enough to tell the story of the terroirs, so she decided to put wines in reserve each year to incorporate them into a future blend.

Therefore, she founded the House by creating a Champagne that would have blending as its fundamental principle. The House respects this philosophy today and uses every terroir in this multi-cru, multi-vintage cuvée. It was named Brut Souverain by Ernest Henriot, Apolline's grandson, when the House was appointed the official champagne supplier to the Courts of the King of Holland and of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 92 Points | This vivid Champagne is tightly meshed, with a firm spine of acidity married to notes of poached apricot, toast point, preserved lemon and white cherry. Minerally through the creamy, focused finish.

James Suckling 91 Points | This has aromas of chopped apples, biscuits, croissants, walnuts, praline and lemon pie. Dry, tasty and toasty, with a medium body, fine bubbles and bright acidity. All in balance. 48% pinot noir, 42% chardonnay, 10% meunier. Base 2016, with 38% reserve wine.

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | The nonvintage Champagne from this producer is beautifully textured, its white fruits lightly touched by a more steely edge. A fine Champagne to drink now.

Winemaker Description 

The Brut Rosé is one of the most unexpected creations from Maison Henriot. After several years of blending experimentation, the it was added to the House's signature collection in the early 1980's by the seventh generation of the family. The challenge for the House was to create a Champagne Rosé that truly reflects the Henriot style, while remaining anchored to one of the fundamental principles of the House: the art of blending.

Thus, the Brut Rosé is a non-vintage or multi-vintage blend. The most delicate of Henriot's champagnes, it is dominated by an intense, fruity nose and has a balanced palate with delicate red fruit notes.

Expert Reviews

Decanter 95 Points | Spicy baked red and blackberry nose with a whiff of struck-match. The palate offers almond cake and red berry notes and glimpses of butter, nuts and lemon macaroon. A very good rose to match salads and barbecued fish.

Tasting Panel 93 Points | Coral pink; smooth, lush and juicy with crisp acidity and smooth texture; long and balanced, refined.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | An attractive red-fruit flavored Champagne with a balanced crisp textured, this bottling is just ready to go. Its fruitiness coupled with the soft texture from the dosage are packed with fruitiness and ripe acidity.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | This mouthwatering rosé shows finesse and style, as flavors of pink grapefruit sorbet, white cherry, lemon blossoms and blanched almond dance across the palate on a lightly chalky mousse. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

James Suckling 92 Points | Pretty copper and light-pink color with fine bubbles. Strawberries and minerals with some earth undertones on the nose, following through to a full body with a dense, condensed palate and a firm yet creamy finish. This is very vinous and complex. Pinot noir and chardonnay. Drink now.

Wine & Spirits 90 Points | Quince-like fruit rounds this wine, lifted by scents of ginger and green edges of spice that bring to mind piquillo peppers. For a Cantonese banquet.

Winemaker Description 

The newest release of our Extra Brut! This wine is made with 100% Riesling. Showing notes of lemon curd and yellow apple, this wine has refreshing acidity with fine bubbles and subtle minerality. Pair with soft, mild cheeses or serve with seared scallops.

In 1985 Hermann J. Wiemer produced a wine called “Champagne Naturel.”  It was not Champagne, of course, and it wasn’t made from traditional Champagne grape varieties either.  No, it was dry Riesling, one of Hermann Wiemer’s early attempts to manufacture a dry Riesling the public would accept.

• 100% Riesling
• Sourced from HJW Estate Vineyard

Winemaker Description 

A blend of several years' production from plots of Chardonnay near the winery.

Gentle vinification, without fining or filtration, aged for over 10 months in oak barrels, with a very structured taste and a straw-yellow colour.

A single parcel of 44 ares, all Chardonnay, a single vintage, 50 cm chalk subsoil, this parcel is close to the Saint-Gond marshes. It was planted 40 years ago.

Vinified without fining or filtration, the wine is gently fermented in oak barrels in the wood.

Its proximity to the marshes and its soil type give it a very different profile, much fuller and warmer.

Blend: 100% Chardonnay.

This vivacious and insanely refreshing wine is characterized by notes of citrus, white flowers and baked bread. The juice’s bright, salivating acidity leads to a long-lasting finish. The wine pairs perfectly with fresh cheeses, buttered popcorn and raw bar favorites. ‘La Nature’L’ is the leading cuvée at Rafflin and is the most widely produced/sold bottling at the estate.

Hervé Rafflin took over his small family winery back in 2001, though his familial roots in Champagne date back to the 1840s. The estate’s 5 hectares are situated in the heart of the Montagne de Reims in the villages of Chigny-les- Roses, Ludes, Rilly la Montagne and Taissy.

A little over half of the vines are dedicated Pinot Meunier, with the rest rounded out by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Vines average 30-40 years in age and as of 2021 are certified organic.

The estate puts out anywhere from no more than 5,000 to 13,000 bottles annually, depending on the vintage. To say we are a small production Champagne would be an understatement. 

Delicious, unpretentious, and always reflective of the growing season and the unique terroir of the Montagne de Reims. At Rafflin, nature dictates business, not demand. 

• Grapes: 26% Pinot Meunier, 36% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir. 60% 2016 + reserve wines.
• Soil/Terroir: 1er cru Chigny les Roses - lignite clay, green marl, Bartonian limestone, Ludian limestone (Upper Eocene, between 41 and 38 million years old), Campanian chalk, colluvium, marl
and Thanetian sand.
• Farming Practices: Organic (in conversion).
• Vinification: Malolactic fermentation with exogenous yeasts and dosage limited to 1.8 g/l.
• Aging: Aged in stainless steel tanks for 8 months.
• SO2: added at harvest and before bottling.
• Alc/Vol: 12.5
• Number of bottles produced: 9000

Winemaker Description

The Extra Brut Solessence Nature unwinds in the glass with scents of white flowers, crisp green apple, spring blossom and almond paste. Medium to full-bodied, ample and precise, it's a bright, vibrant wine with chalky structure and a long, saline finish.

Winemaker Description

Its traditional production makes Vocation Champagne a Blanc de Noirs to enjoy on any occasion and turn it into a memorable moment.

The Champagne region is synonymous with excellence, hard work and continuous work to continue offering recognized world-class wines and bubbles. Our vocation and respect for nature, as well as our lives, manage to create the best fruit which is the basis and structure for our final offering.

Vocation is the living representation of what has been our home for centuries and radiates our values ​​as a family by making and respecting the traditional way of making champagne, the precious liquid.

Producer Description 

100% Xinomavro sourced from Amyndeon, across the mountains from Kir-Yianni’s home base of Naoussa and a historical source for high-acid grapes for rosé. 

This is fermented to an irresistible 17 grams or so per liter of residual sugar before a Charmat-method secondary fermentation that comes out to a creamy 3.5 atmospheres of pressure.

Winemaker Description

At the House of Krug, every Krug Vintage celebrates the distinct character of a particular year. A Krug Vintage is a blend of the most expressive wines from a single year enhanced by a stay of over ten years in the cellars. Every Krug Vintage is different: it is the Music of the year, captured by Krug.

Krug 2008 is the elegant and intense story of a cool and balanced year, nicknamed “Classic Beauty” by the House’s Tasting Committee members.

The year 2008 was one of Champagne’s coolest in 14 years, and also one of the region’s least sunny in almost half a century. It was a classic northern climate, one that has not been seen much since. Rainfall was normal, the summer was dry, and temperatures were constant throughout the growing season. This absence of extremes resulted in slow and steady grape maturation. 

▪ An expressive nose that is rich and ample with patinated aromas of honey, liquorice, menthol, orange peel and grapefruit.

▪ Vivacious, intense and harmonious with great tension on the palate, expressing notes of quince, candied fruits and citrus, yellow kiwi, star fruit, honey, apple tart, butter cookies, orange peel, peony and fennel, with floral and menthol undertones. It has a long, balanced and precise finish with astounding structure.

FOOD & WINE PAIRING INSPIRATION:

▪ Krug 2008 is a beautiful match for oyster tartare with a lobster emulsion, parmesan shortbread, pistachio Chaource in pastry sheets, rabbit terrine with sorrel, tagliatelle with mussels and basil, dishes prepared with aromatic herbs like oregano and thyme or whitefish in a lemon and pepper sauce, as well as desserts that contrast vivacity and roundness such as passionfruit and lemon meringue.

Expert Reviews 

An elegant sparkling Prosecco Rosé with notes of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blossom. Brightly textured and crisp palate with a refreshing citrus finish
Blend: 85% Glera, 15% Pinot Noir

Produced in the heart of Veneto on the picturesque hills of Gambellara, lays the 4,000 hectare Zonin estate.  As a family-owned winery spanning seven generations, they are pioneers of premium D.O.C.

Serve with: Lightly spiced Asian food like Satays, Balinese Curries or Pad Thai Nood.

Kylie Minogue, modern day Icon presents Wines by Kylie.
Since The Loco-motion topped the charts in 1987, Kylie has sold over 80 million records, achieved 34 top tens, 7 number ones, 1 Grammy, 3 BRIT’s and 17 ARIA awards.

In 2008 Kylie was awarded an OBE for services to music as well s the highest cultural honor in France, Chevalier Dans L’odre Des Arts et Des Lettres. Her fanbase spans multiple generations and all social groupings and are known known as the “Lovers.”

Now, after 2 years of development, Kylie channeled her passion and love for wine by launching a bespoke range of wines in 2020 to immediate acclaim. The first of Kylie’s wines to launch in the US is her elegant sparkling Prosecco Rosé.

Producer Description 

The delicate La Marca Prosecco has a pale, golden straw color and sparkles with lively effervescence. Opening with aromas of fresh-picked citrus and honeysuckle blossoms, the crisp, clean palate brings fruity flavors of green apple, juicy peach and ripe lemon, framed by hints of minerality. 

The finish is light and refreshing with a tantalizing hint of sweetness.
Always serve La Marca Prosecco chilled between 46-50°F. 

A versatile Italian Sparkling wine, La Marca Prosecco can be served in sparkling flutes or white wine glasses. A full bottle serves approximately 5-7 glasses. After pouring the first round, seal the opened bottle with a bottle stopper to keep remaining wine fresh and effervescent and keep the wine chilled to 46-50°F. An opened bottle should last about 3-4 hours with the bottle closure.

La Marca Prosecco has the charm to stand alone as an aperitif, but it also has the body and the acidity to pair well with a range of foods, from seafood and mild cheeses to rich pasta dishes and decadent desserts. 

Winemaker Description 

Expert Reviews 

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Well-spiced and mouthwatering, this vivid Champagne offers a finely detailed bead and expressive flavors of black raspberry, dried apricot, orange blossom, fleur de sel and crystallized honey. Clean-cut and minerally on the finish."

Vinous 92 Points | The NV Brut Ultradition is the same base wine as the Extra Brut Ultradition. Here the higher dosage seems to give the wine greater fleshiness and immediacy, while changing the wine's shape. Some of the mid-palate creaminess seems to have been achieved at the expense of a bit of persistence. Disgorged: November 2016. Dosage is 6-8 grams per liter.

John Gilman 92+ Points | The current release of Laherte Frres non-vintage Ultradition Brut is composed from an atypical and highly attractive cpages of sixty percent pinot meunier, thirty percent chardonnay and ten percent pinot noir and was finished with a dosage of six to eight grams per liter. This is from the base year of 2012 and the wine is outstanding, offering up a very refined, meunier dominated constellation of white peach, loads of spring flowers, chalky soil tones, gentle smokiness and a dollop of brioche in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, fullbodied and extremely elegant, with a fine core, superb soil signature, refined mousse and a very long, complex and dancing finish. This is a beautiful bottle of non-vintage Brut! 2017-2035."

Winemaker Description

Produced from a small walled vineyard close to the Lanson winery in Reims, this is a splendid wine. Its richness is balanced by the intense freshness and minerality of the Chardonnay, with apple and citrus flavors that still in the background. Now mature, this wine is ready to drink.

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points | Produced from a small walled vineyard close to the Lanson winery in Reims, this is a splendid wine. Its richness is balanced by the intense freshness and minerality of the Chardonnay, with apple and citrus flavors that still in the background. Now mature, this wine is ready to drink.

Wine Advocate 94 Points | Disgorged in July 2016 with only three grams per liter dosage, the 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Clos Lanson is showing very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of dried white flowers, citrus oil, toasted brioche, oyster shell and smoke. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and vibrant, with a racy spine of acidity, good concentration and chalky structuring extract. This is quite a tightly knit, tensile wine, despite the warm mesoclimate and two years on cork, which suggests it will enjoy a long future.

Vinous 93 Points | Clos Lanson's 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs is a very pretty, soft Champagne that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. Bright citrus and floral notes, along with soft contours, give much of its immediacy and sheer allure. Understated and classy, the 2007 will drink well for a number of years, but it is also remarkably giving and enjoyable today for a relatively young Blanc de Blancs. Although it is not super-complex, the 2007 offers quite a bit of freshness and character. An open bottle was still in great shape when I re-tasted it a few days later. Disgorged: July 2016.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Fragrant, featuring lime blossom and ground spice notes, this fine and creamy Champagne offers a broad range of lemon parfait, chopped hazelnut, spun honey and dried cherry flavors, underscored by chalky minerality. Elegant and well-knit, with a firm, focused finish. Disgorged July 2016. Drink now through 2030. 665 cases made.

Winemaker Description

Since 1760, the house of Lanson has remained family own. Faithful to its heritage, Lanson Champagnes have always been made the original way, offering an exceptional development of flavors while preserving the natural purity of the fruit. This historical commitment makes Lanson wines more fresh, crisp and elegant with a longer ageing potential. 

Expert Reviews 

92 Points James Suckling | Pale salmon-copper hue with notes of strawberries, tangerines, persimmons, bread dough and some chamomile. Lovely freshness and fruitiness, with a medium body and sleek bubbles. Vibrant red and orange fruit throughout. 53% pinot noir, 32% chardonnay and 15% pinot meunier. 7% red wine (pinot noir from Bouzy and Les Riceys and meunier from Vallee de la Marne). Base wine 2017 with 35% reserve wine. 8g/L dosage. 

91 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Fruity and primary up front, the NV Champagne Le Rose pours a pale salmon with an orange tinge, which they achieve with the addition of 7% red wine from the villages of Bouzy and Les Riceys. Offering attractive aromas of orange zest, nectarine, and white strawberry, it’s medium-bodied and has a rounded mid-palate, with a supple mousse, a juicy and fresh style, and a floral flourish on the finish.

90+ Points Robert Parker | Based on the 2014 vintage and disgorged in December 2019 with eight grams per liter dosage, Lanson's NV Brut Le Rosé is showing nicely, offering up aromas of peach, crisp orchard fruit, pink grapefruit and warm brioche. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and incisive, with a racy spine of acidity and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a saline finish. This is quite tightly wound out of the gates, and I suspect it possesses a bit of upside. 

90 Points Wine Spectator | A clean-cut, snappy version with a creamy bead delivering a fine range of peach, toast point, graphite and smoke flavors that expand on the palate. It's lightly honeyed and mouthwatering on the finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

90 Points Wine & Spirits | This clean, fresh rose presents ripe citrus flavors up front, hinting at tangerine and sweet clementine. Then it turns toward bitter-almond notes in the finish. Built for roast fish.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 94 Points | This is a solid vintage Champagne with depth and structure, as well very fine bubbles that frame the wine beautifully. Full-bodied with fine layers of fruit and lots of flint, stone, chalk, spicy ginger and lime character in the palate. 52% pinot noir and 48% chardonnay. Dosage 7g/L. Disgorged in July 2021. Very drinkable now, but will age beautifully. 

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This Champagne, still young, has almost equal proportions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. That results in a ripe, balanced wine. Its white fruit is cut with citrus giving a full-bodied mouthfeel. The wine should age further, so drink from 2025.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | A fresh, minerally Champagne, with accents of fleur de sel and oyster shell and flavors of ripe green apple, pink grapefruit sorbet, toast point and pastry cream. This has a light plushness that wraps the bright spine of acidity in a fine, cashmerelike texture. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2030. 250 cases imported.

Expert Reviews 

Yohan Castaing of the Wine Advocate writes 90 Points | Disgorged on June 2023 and based on the 2018 vintage, the NV Brut Black Label has a delicate, herbal bouquet with aromas of orchard fruit, spring flowers, lemon oil and spices, followed by a medium-bodied palate with tensile and bright acids. It concludes with an energetic, elegant finish.  

James Suckling writes 92 Points | A fresh, balanced palate with green apples, pie crust and pears. Medium body, fine bubbles and a crisp, dry finish. Nice center palate. Four years on the lees. Drink now.  

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 91 Points | Racy acidity is tightly meshed to flavors of ripe red and black currant, preserved lemon, chopped almond and honeycomb in this sleek Champagne, with a fine, chalky bead. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged September 2020. Drink now through 2024.  

Simon Field MW of Decanter writes | Ripe and bold, with a silky texture and a dark, pinot-driven fruitiness, underlined by savoury notes of lees. 

Expert Review

Wine Advocate 96 Points: The 2014 Extra Brut Les Chemins d'Avize Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is fabulous. Rich, ample and potent, the 2014 possesses tremendous density from start to finish. Apricot, spice, dried flowers, graphite and lemon confit all build in a Champagne of enormous resonance. The pedigree here is evident. Chemins d'Avize is a blend from the Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny lieux-dits. It was vinified in neutral oak and bottled with dosage of two grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2021.