Freddy R. Troya

9.0

A.J. de Margerie – Grand Cru Brut
Bouzy, Champagne – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A Grand Cru Champagne from the village of Bouzy, an area known for its powerful, Pinot Noir–driven expressions. The composition blend is 90 % Pinot Noir and 10 % Chardonnay. This bottling leans toward a richer, more opulent profile while still delivering the classic tension associated with Bouzy fruit.

Aromas & Flavors
Floral notes intertwined with brioche, honey, and touches of lemon custard. The fruit profile leans slightly riper, giving it a plush and appetizing character.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with fine, energetic bubbles. There’s noticeable tension on the back end of the palate, creating a long, citrus-inflected finish. The riper fruit adds generosity without losing structure.

Food Pairings
Ideal with creamy cheeses, smoked salmon, shrimp tartare, buttery pastries, or even lightly spiced Asian dishes.

Verdict
A rich, floral, and pleasantly intense Grand Cru Champagne with a honeyed edge. A bit fruitier than my personal preference, but an excellent choice for those who enjoy lemon-custard tones and a long, persistent finish.

Did You Know?
Bouzy is one of Champagne’s most famous Pinot Noir villages, its Grand Cru status reflects centuries of recognition for power, ripeness, and depth in both still and sparkling wines. — 7 months ago

Jae Cho

9.0

Always felt this wine a bit boring, even in a **** vintage. A recent Capbern had more depth and cigar spice. — a year ago

Vanessa

9.4

These are the perfect Birthday bubbles!
 
They’re brought to us by one of our favorite “grower” producers – Paul Bara – situated in Bouzy, a grand cru village in the Montagne de Reims ⛰️ region of Champagne.
 
Paul Bara owns the entire production process from beginning to end, carrying forward seven generations of family history and tradition, with winemaker Chantal Bara now at the helm.

This is the 2016 Paul Bara vintage special club rosé.  It was made with mostly Pinot Noir (70%) along with some Chardonnay (30%) for brightness.  

It is pale salmon 👁️ with medium(+) intensity of lemon peel, mandarin pith, white peach, green apple, raspberry, strawberry, toast, pastry, and blanched almond 👃🏻 👄 . The mousse is fine-beaded and well-integrated. It is dry with a creamy mouthfeel and elegant finish.

It’s positively delicious!

Cheers to another trip around the sun ☀️ and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing Mamas! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Vanessa

9.2

Happy Easter to those celebrating!! 🌷🌷

We’re marking the occasion with some of our favorite bubbles – a 2014 vintage Paul Bara from the Grand Cru Village of Bouzy in the Montagne de Reims region of Champagne, France.🫶🏻

90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. ABV 12.5%.

#paulbara #grandcru #champagne #bouzy #montagnereims #brut #bubbles #holidaybrunch #brunching #easter #sundayfunday #vintagechampagne #millesime #sante #growerproducer #growerchampagne — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Willie Carter

8.9

My goodness, it seems as if these Special Club offerings always hit the mark and this is a great example. Minuscule bubbles that dissipate rather quickly but maintains creaminess. A rather intense nose upon opening featuring ripe apples, butter, and raspberries. There’s a steady streak of smoke beside the lemons and ginger aromas.

70/30 PN/CH from the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, this is a precise and full bodied champagne. Disgorged on 7/19, there’s a nice level of maturity and refinement here. Rich and well structured, this has years of life left but is in such a beautiful spot at the moment. Plenty of tension and radiance.

The palate is robust and complex as befits the maturity. Baked apples, spun honey, caramel, and tropical fruits. Hot buttered toast on the long finish. This is an outstanding wine with so much depth, complexity, and vitality. Special Club strikes again. — 5 years ago

Stas Medvedev

9.7

🏅Rating 97+/100 (4,75⭐)

Clos du Mesnil is a 1.84-hectare vineyard in Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger surrounded by the walls. Its location and microclimate define a distinct terroir for Chardonnay which is renowned in Champagne as much as Montrachet in Burgundy.

This precious CdM'82 I shared with my champagne fellows on the eve of COVID-19 crisis. Memories that CdM definitely imprints in our minds and deep emotions which stay forever.

Perfectly aged multilayered wine with a complex tertiary bouquet to die for. Roasted nuts, honey, chalkiness and underlying pronounced acidity. So joyful!

Solo in Remi Krug terms, but the power of its voice equals to the orchestra. — 6 years ago

Chinada Cellars

9.0

Dark cherry, plum, blackberry, jammy, pepper, vanilla, sweet potato, medium (+) intensity. Fine tannin, high alcohol, soft and ripe.

Reminiscing Cote du Rhône Village. — 6 years ago

Vanessa

9.3

✨ Cheers to treasures of the Côte des Blancs!

🥂 Allow me to introduce Champagne Agrapart & Fils, a fourth-generation grower-producer based in the Grand Cru village of Avize – right in the heart of the Côte des Blancs region, where Chardonnay reigns supreme.

🍾Pascal took the helm of his family’s winery in 1984 and is now joined by his son Ambroise, carrying on the family tradition of meticulous winemaking to craft exceptionally beautiful champagnes that offer an authentic sense of place.

🌿 In support of this aim, Agrapart pursues an ancient approach to farming the family’s 12 hectares of vines, in harmony with nature, according to the natural rhythms of the calendar, trading chemicals for compost, and working the land by hand.

🍇 In the winery, Pascal & Ambroise allow fermentations to happen naturally through ambient yeast found in the surrounding environment & on the surface of the grape skins. They neither fine nor filter their wines, and riddling is done by hand – a rarity in this day and age given efficiencies that can be gained through mechanization (e.g., gyropalette).

👉 Here we have Agrapart’s “Terroirs” bottling made with 100% Chardonnay from a blend of vintages and vineyard blocks from the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Cramant, Oiry, and Oger. It’s extra brut with 5 grams of sugar / liter in dosage.

😍 It is a stunning Blanc de Blancs expression giving voice to the Côte des Blancs.

👌 This wine is focused, nuanced, & elegant with perfumed aromas of lemon meringue, lemon pith, crisp apple, star fruit, white tea, blossom, oyster shell, salinity, toast, smoke, chalk, river bank, frozen pie crust, and blanched almonds.

On the palate it’s bone dry and laser focused with an electrifying acidity that is balanced by a creamy mousse and concentrated flavors consistent with the nose.

💫 Cheers to delicious wines of authenticity & soul! — 8 months ago

with Deked1

romo

9.3

Called Burgundy, but couldn’t pinpoint village. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Such an incredible Champagne from surely the the next grower to develop that cult following. Straddling Avize and Cramant, single vineyard BdB Chemin de Chalons, (also made by Jacques Selosse), is a stunning expression of the site and the iconic village of Avize. It’s incredibly elegant, pure and detailed with seductive aromatics, a chalky mineral core and an amazing pillowy mousse that fills the mouth and continues to stay with you, giving way to its long and racy finale. Special wines… — 3 years ago

Aaron Krauss

9.7

Rhonda's second favorite Chateau nerf de Pape (which she found in the village) — 3 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

A truly beautiful pale copper robe with effusive perlage and effervescence. Smelling this is an experience unto itself. The nose is intense with aromas of brown sugar, honeysuckle, and streaks of honey. Apples sprinkled with cinnamon and delicious baked bread. Cherries and cream with a dollop of mint. It just keeps going. A little aged cheese with dried earth just for good measure.

Named for the year that the Philipponnant family arrived in the village of Ay and still going strong, year in and year out. 70/30 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, all from Grand Cru plots and first press juice. Aged for 8 years sur lie and disgorged in February of 2020 with an extra brut dosage of 4.5 g/l. Another case of an outstanding 2012 champagne, one that can last for years and years.

Racy acidity that does calm down over time with terrific structure and balance. A really nice level of complexity and drama here. The palate mirrors the nose with apples and honey with fresh cinnamon bread. Really quite vinous in nature, as well. An exciting and contemplative champagne from a prestigious house. I could drink this everyday.
— 4 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

8.9

Elegant and balanced, mostly merlot with a dollop of cab franc. Crazy good at this price point. Enthusiastically recommended ! — 5 years ago

with Adriana

Tim Martins

9.2

Very nice white Burgundy. From Corton, a very cute village. Very tasty. — 6 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Domaine Derey Frères – Marsannay “Les Vignes Marie” 2021 🇫🇷
Marsannay AOC, Côte de Nuits – Burgundy, France

Overview
100% Pinot Noir from Marsannay, the only Côte de Nuits village allowed to produce wines in all three colors (red, white, and rosé). “Les Vignes Marie” is a standout parcel that shows the classic finesse of Burgundy Pinot while keeping Marsannay’s hallmark freshness and approachability.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry lead the nose, with hints of rose petal, subtle spice, and earthy forest floor. A touch of mineral undertone brings lift and precision.

Mouthfeel
Elegant and medium-bodied with silky tannins, lively acidity, and a refined structure. Balanced and supple, finishing with freshness that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Winemaking Notes
The Derey family has been established in Marsannay since the mid-17th century, and their work focuses on organic farming and gentle cellar practices. The 2021 vintage, cooler and classic in style, emphasizes delicacy over power.

Food Pairing
Perfect with roast chicken, duck breast, mushroom risotto, or a charcuterie board. Its finesse makes it versatile across light meats and earthy vegetarian dishes.

Verdict
A graceful Burgundy Pinot that captures Marsannay’s balance between Côte de Nuits structure and charming approachability. For me, this sits as one of my most favorite wines in the Côte de Nuits — at a very affordable price point, it punches well above its weight and shows how Burgundy can still deliver tremendous value.

📚 Educational Sidebar – Why Marsannay Matters
Marsannay, at the northern gateway of the Côte de Nuits, is often overshadowed by its neighbors like Gevrey-Chambertin. But its wines deliver exceptional value, showing Pinot Noir with purity, finesse, and terroir character — a smart entry point into Burgundy without the Grand Cru price tag. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Vanessa

9.5

Happy New Year’s Eve to you all! 🎉

To celebrate the holiday, we’re popping this special bottle of bubbles we’ve been eager to try. 😝

It’s Champagne Philipponnat’s 2004 vintage champagne made with 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay hailing from a single clos – Clos des Goisses – surrounded by a traditional stone wall in the Village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.  🍾

Talk about a singularity of place!  It was first produced as a single vineyard wine in 1935, a pioneering approach for a Champagne House in a land known for regional blending.

After fermentation, this wine aged on the lees for 10 YEARS in Philipponnat’s historic cellars in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ; a Premier Cru Village of the Grand Vallée de la Marne, located on the southerly flank of the Montagne de Reims, where Pinot Noir dominates like in the Grande Montagne.

Okay for the tasting note!  Wow. 🤯 It has pastry, brioche, nougat, and marzipan for days, next to toasted almond, lemon curd, white peach, baked yellow apple, dried chamomile, blossom, and wet slate notes. Despite its unequivocal richness, it has a spine of acidity lending balance and brightness.
 
Cheers to 2025; may it be filled with hope, health, joy, adventure, and amazing sips! 🍾🥂 — a year ago

with Deked1

Daron Watson

9.2

an under the radar White Burgundy producer who’s 60+ year old vines from this village level lieu-dit are located near the Chassagne side across from Grand Cru Batard Montrachet…OVERperformer!

orange, peach & apricot blossom, apple pie crust, lemon & lime zest, nougat, talcum ~ add bruised apple and yellow plum to the palate w great balance of acidity and minerality with a tactile grip — 3 years ago

Martinez

8.9

Entry-level Chasselas by Luc Massy, a historic producer from the village of Epesses in Lavaux (right on the shore of Lake Geneva, about 6 miles southeast of Lausanne). Pale gold color. Discreet nose with subtle aromas of pear, bake apple and vanilla. Light-bodied, round, delicate. Low acidity, subtle minerality. Great breakfast wine, as they say around here. — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.3

These champagnes from Bertrand Lilbert are something special. Soft and expressive with terrific energy.

Medium pale yellow with tiny, active bubbles and intense effervescence. The aromas on the nose begin somewhat discreetly but after a little time in the glass that innate mineral nature shines through. Delicate white flowers and fresh biscuits. Herbs and lime with bright citrus notes. Lemons and wet stones show up along with the slightest touch of vanilla.

Lilbert produces only three champagnes, all of them Blanc de Blancs, primarily from the Grand Cru village of Cramant. This is based on the 2016 vintage with half of the blend coming from reserve wines. The acidity, while racy, is easy and comfortable. Less focused on power and more on elegance, this is an absolute gem of a BdB. Very precise and hyper focused.

The attack is vivacious and intense. Just oh so very lovely and deep. So generous and inviting after plenty of time in the glass. Nice salinity and minerality. Lemons and limes with pineapples and an exquisite streak of honey. Apple and brioche notes and a long, eloquent finish. A real deal true superstar of a champagne. — 4 years ago

Chris Zitzman

8.9

Hints of stone fruit, pear, and a bit of minerality lead to a smooth and juicy mouthfeel. While somewhat refined, the effervescence of the Francois Seconde is a Grand Cru by name due to its origin and is notably muted- though the mouthfeel is delightful and juicy in its own way. Sillery, as noted on the label refers to the village where the fruit is sourced from multiple vineyards, and blended over several vintages. In sum, this is an affordable champagne that will not blow the doors off- but is a simple delight both in its personality and its uniqueness. — 6 years ago

with Beth