11/30/2018
Best Deals of the Year! 30% OFF Select Bubbly at our Champagne & Sparkling Sale! Now thru Sun. Dec. 2
Taste them all Friday night for just $13, plus the Jose Michel 2012 Special Club bonus pour for $7
Friday Nov. 30, 5-7:30pm
THE SELECTIONS:
Diebolt Vallois Blanc de Blancs NV
Retail: $50 Sale: $32.99*
An Audrey Hepburn of Champagne, this 100% Chardonnay is as beguiling as they come - sexy yet demure, sprightly yet regal and possessing a nonchalant confidence that seems to say 'of course I'm delicious, what did you expect?' Not only is it one of the most captivating Blanc de Blancs, it is easily one of the best values as well. The nose is pretty and complex with aromatics of fresh herb, lemon meringue and a light ginger yeast spiciness. The fruit is gentle and harmonious yet rich, with soft pear and crisp apple flavors floating on a focused beam of impossibly tiny bubbles. Beautifully composed throughout, the finish brings notes of earth, salt and stone before entering a long slow fade.
Perseval Farge Cuvée de Pinots 1er Cru Brut NV
Retail: $55 Sale: $35.99*
A 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this is a stylistic opposite of the Diebolt Vallois and a rare Blanc de Noirs treat. Rich and sumptuous, this offers a winey, savory red-fruited personality that is as appealing as it is unexpected. A warm rosy aromatic haze of toasted hazelnuts, dried autumn leaves and cinnamon-spiced apple cider leads to cherry and red apple on the palate before gliding into a dry biscuity finish. The addition of 40% reserve wine adds layers of depth and complexity, as well as a creamy integrated texture. With invigorating freshness and pulsing energy, a wonderful counterpoint to its rich burnished flavors.
Domaine Carneros Brut 2014
Retail: $33 Sale: $22.40*
A benchmark for good California bubbly, this newly-released 2014 just landed a 93 point review in the Wine Spectator, its highest rating ever for this bottling. Founded by Champagne Taittinger in 1987, their pursuit of excellence continues by adapting in the vineyards and staying the course in the cellar. Jazzy and lively yet refined and deliberate, there's a California-esque richness of fruit balanced by complex notes of fresh fennel, baking spice, buttered toast and zesty lemon curd. The bubbles are elegant yet bouncy as they carry the tangled flavors toward the dry, steely finish.
Lambert de Seyssel Petit Royal NV
Retail: $18.99. Sale: $15.20*
Unique and distinctive, this Kermit Lynch import from the mountainous Savoie region is a fun treat offering cartwheels of flavor to mull over as you sit by the fire or watch rain drip from the rafters. Full flavored and vaguely autumnal, it fits the wintry season well with its warm woodsy personality and rich dappled texture. Although off the beaten path for most wine drinkers, the tiny Seyssel appellation has a tradition of sparkling wine dating to the 19th century, supplying neighboring spa towns with non-soapy bubbles for their guests. The blend of 70% Molette and 30% Altesse, two indigenous varietals, gives the wine its distinctive flavor profile. Flinty, smoky and savory to start, those aromas recede as ripe fruit flavors take over, a mix of poached pear and warm apple cider with side notes of brown bread and toffee. A winter citrus zestiness keeps it lively and bouncy finishing with an Alpine air crispness.
Vieux Pressoir Saumur NV
Retail: $18 Sale: $10.40*
A huge December favorite two years ago, we are thrilled to have this back especially at a lower price. Although sporting a new, more modern label this is the same awesome bubbly in the bottle: a blend of 70% Chenin Blanc and 30% Chardonnay from a fifth generation family winery in France's Loire Valley. Playfully fruity and all too easy to enjoy, this bottling seems even more generous than I remembered with a brioche-y richness and toasted brown spice notes that nicely complement the luscious peachy fruit. The finish is creamy and succulent, balanced by a lemony anise-flecked crispness.
*Sale prices valid Nov. 29 - Dec. 2 only
This Saturday's Tasting: New Small Vineyards Italians
FREE! Dec. 1 from 2-5pm - Drop on by
Come in for the Champagne Sale then relax with a taste of freshly-arrived direct import Italians poured by the ever-smiling Kristin Kluvers. Enjoy some of our seasonal favorites: Palama Negroamaro, La Quercia Colline Teramane, Cantina del Morellino Vermentino Vendemmia Tardiva, and more!
