Category Archives: Champagne

Raventós i Blanc: Stunning New Releases

Posted on May 11, 2021 by mike

The house of Josep Raventós i Blanc was established in 1986 in Sant Sadurni d’ Anoia by Josep-Maria Raventós, a break away member of the Codorníu family, with the objective of making Cavas of exceptional quality. Today, Josep’s grandson Pepe … Continue reading →

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Wines to Brighten Up Your Thanksgiving

Posted on November 10, 2020 by don

For most of us 2020’s Thanksgiving will be different.    Because of the COVID pandemic,  family and friends will not be gathering in  large numbers to celebrate.   Instead,  we’ll keep it smaller for the sake of everyone’s heath. Although we’ll … Continue reading →

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The Best Rosé Champagnes from our 2020 Champagne Report

Posted on February 11, 2020 by don

Rosé Champagne is not just for Valentine’s Day.  It’s a great food wine—try it with pan-seared duck breast!  And, of course, it’s delightful to drink on its own. We tasted many rosés among the 250 Champagnes in our recently released … Continue reading →

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Buy Champagne Now Before Tariffs Hit: Twelve Top Values

Posted on December 20, 2019 by don

The price of Champagne continues its rise, and proposed 100% US tariffs could put it beyond the reach of most wine lovers. The smart consumer will stock up on Champagne now. To help you, we’ve identified a dozen extremely good … Continue reading →

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Bruno Paillard’s Exquisite Champagnes

Posted on November 25, 2019 by don

Bruno Paillard accomplished what many thought impossible—creating a new, prestigious Champagne house from scratch.  Champenois by birth, he had the advantage of a family history of growing grapes in Champagne, and he began by working in the Champagne wine trade. … Continue reading →

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Thomas Jefferson’s Champagne (Sillery) & Food

Posted on November 14, 2019 by don

In this article, we report on our tasting of the wine and food of Thomas Jefferson with special focus on Champagne and the recipes Jefferson acquired while living in France. Our tasting included the Champagne from one of his favorite … Continue reading →

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The Outstanding Low Dosage Champagnes of JM Sélèque

Posted on August 28, 2019 by don

Founded in 1965 by Henri Sélèque in Pierry, a Premier Cru village in the Coteaux Sud d’Epernay in the Vallée de la Marne, today JM Sélèque is one of the top producers of grower Champagne (récoltant-manipulant). Champagne in Pierry dates … Continue reading →

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Cristal Champagne Through the Ages

Posted on June 3, 2019 by don

We recently dusted off one of those special bottles in our cellar and opened it on an equally special occasion—a dinner with friends of fresh oysters, osso buco, and risotto milanese. That bottle was the Louis Roederer 2002 Cristal Champagne, … Continue reading →

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Champagne Barons de Rothschild: Current Releases

Posted on April 28, 2019 by don

With its lengthy and lofty heritage in Bordeaux, the Rothschild name conveys excellence in wine. But in Champagne where many of the houses are centuries old, it’s a relative newcomer. Although they’re new producers, the Rothschilds are not without prior connections … Continue reading →

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Graham Beck: Exclusive Focus on Premium Sparkling

Posted on February 18, 2019 by don

Industrialist Graham Beck founded his eponymous vineyard and winery in Robertson in 1983.  A few years later Pieter Ferreira joined Graham Beck, making his first sparkling wine  (called MCC or Methode Cap Classique in South Africa) in 1991. We visited … Continue reading →

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