This wine is all Bouzy, a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, but it reminded me of a wine I tasted a few years ago by Moutard that is made with the obscure grapes of Champagne, things like Arbanne and Petit Meslier. Oh no, my friends, I've been a very lucky Brooklynguy lately, in large part due to the generosity of friends. MORE >>

It needs to be picked later than Chardonnay. But most producers simply weren't devoting that kind of attention to Aligoté and it made more sense to pull out the vines and replant with either Chardonnay or Pinot. Honestly, who drinks Aligoté? It's so acidic and harsh and there isn't much of a reward. Old vines don't hurt either. MORE >>

So it was that the 1997 Chardonnay that we tasted was made by Williams-Selyem but the 2007 was from Hirsch Vineyards. The 2007 Hirsch, although nobody’s going to confuse it with Chablis, was definitely leaner, with higher acidity and lower alcohol: voluptuousness was replaced by more restraint. MORE >>

The Climber 2010. Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc 2010. Almost like an expensive Chablis, one can sense the minerality and long racy finish. Craggy Range Chardonnay 2010. Some excellent wines this week, an assortment of reds and whites from around the globe. Terrezas de los Andes. Reserva Malbec 2009. Social climber? MORE >>