K&L Top 10 Picks: April 2021

California Gems at One-Time Discounts, a superb Châteauneuf, amazing Champagne, a rare bourbon... Monday Apr 12th, 2021 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( K&L Top 10 Selections: April 2021 Featuring: A set of domestic bottlings at significant discounts, wines from Champagne, Bordeaux, and Châteauneuf, 2016 Brunello, best-in-class New Zealand Pinot, and a unique bourbon... --------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify. --------------------------------------------------------------- Spring is officially here, and we've got a stellar lineup of wines to help celebrate this season's delights. First up, we have a set of domestic wines that span a wide range of styles and prices. The Varner "El Camino Vineyard" Chardonnay is a single-vineyard wine made by one of the finest winemakers in the state. For those seeking bold reds, we have the 95-point Captûre "Innovant" Bordeaux Blend, as well as a classic Calistoga Cab from Jax Vineyards that garnered 94 points. Finally, we have the double 95-point 2017 Wayfarer "Wayfarer Vineyard" Pinot Noir, a thrilling red from a prestigious coastal vineyard. All these wines are offered at significant discounts from their release pricing. Moving to France, we have a trio of offerings that show the vast diversity of what's produced here. The Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a remarkable, sub-$30 example of the appellation in an excellent vintage, while the 2017 Malescot-St-Exupéry from Margaux is a standout Bordeaux for the collector. And don't sleep on the 98-point 2002 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" Champagne, which is a majestic wine any way you look at it. Nearing perfection is the 99-point 2016 Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino from a legendary vintage. From further afield we have the 2018 Fromm "Cuvée H" Pinot Noir that's possibly the best Pinot out of Marlborough. Last up, for the spirits lovers, Hillrock Estate's solera-aged bourbon is a truly unique bottling that's worthy of a place on any connoisseur's shelf. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2016 Varner "El Camino Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Previously $25) 92 Price: Hidden [View]( 2017 Captûre "Innovant" Alexander Valley Bordeaux Blend (Elsewhere $50+) 95 Price: Hidden [View]( 2017 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Previously $45) 94 Price: Hidden [View]( 2018 Fromm "Cuvée H" Pinot Noir Marlborough 95 $34.99 [View]( 2016 Jax Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50+) 94 Price: Hidden [View]( 2017 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux 94 $64.99 [View]( 2017 Wayfarer "Wayfarer Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $90) 95 Price: Hidden [View]( 2016 Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 99 $94.95 [View]( Hillrock Estate Solera Aged Single Barrel K&L Exclusive Shea Vineyards "Homer Vineyard" Oregon Pinot Noir Finished Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $139.99 [View]( 2002 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" Brut Champagne (Previously $180) 98 $149.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2016 Varner "El Camino Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Previously $25)]( Varner "El Camino Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (Previously $25)]( Price: Hidden 92 points Vinous: "Bob and Jim Varner's 2016 Chardonnay is terrific. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, tangerine oil and light tropical overtones infuse the 2016 with notable character. Los Alamos Chardonnays tend to be a bit more lifted, but there is plenty of depth here. Most of the wine was aged in large foudre, which further helps in retaining energy. (AG)" (09/2019) 91 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Lots of flinty minerality, crushed citrus, lime, and white flower notes emerge from the 2016 Chardonnay, which is racy and vibrant on the palate, with good acidity and a great finish. With a Burgundian styled sense of reduction and minerality, a tight, chiseled texture, and a great finish, it's a beautiful wine." (10/2019) 90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Chardonnay El Camino Vineyard is reticent on the nose, very slowly revealing aromas of flint, golden apple, toast, lemon pith and nutty tinges. Medium-bodied and rounded in the mouth, it's lively and mineral-driven with great freshness and a long finish with honey-nut nuances. (EB)" (02/2020) [ryanwoodhouse.gif]( Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 07, 2021 In my opinion, this is undoubtedly the finest Chardonnay value in our inventory, a single-vineyard wine made by one of the finest winemakers in the state. It's more than worthy of its original $25 price tag but offered here for 40% off! The Varners are famed for their Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays but have more recently shifted their focus to vineyards in the cool, windswept, coastal areas of Santa Barbara County. El Camino Vineyard is in the Los Alamos sub-region, long known as an area that can produce stunning, Burgundian inspired wines with wonderful freshness and minerality. These vines grow in very sandy loam soils on a northwest-facing slope. Block 4, the source for this wine, is planted to Clone 4 (Wente). The wine is fermented with wild/native yeast in a combination of French oak puncheons and stainless-steel tanks. The wine only partially goes through malo, so it retains a wonderful vibrancy and drive complemented by the subtle, nutty oak tones and saline minerals. Somewhat Chablis-like with its crunchy Golden Delicious apple, quince, ripe citrus, chopped almond, and seashell minerality in the long finish. Such a delicious and complex bottle of Chardonnay for a ludicrously low price. Taste it quick then grab a case, or just take my word for it, this is wonderful Chardonnay at a price that belies its quality. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Captûre "Innovant" Alexander Valley Bordeaux Blend (Elsewhere $50+)]( Captûre "Innovant" Alexander Valley Bordeaux Blend (Elsewhere $50+)]( Price: Hidden 95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Checking in as 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot all from the Alden Park Vineyard in the Alexander Valley, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Innovant saw an extended maceration and aging in 40% new French oak. It has a terrific nose of blue and black fruits as well as classic Cabernet tobacco, bay leaf, violets, graphite, and crushed rock-like minerality. I continue to love these wines from Sam Teakle. Across the board, the wines show terrific purity of fruit, plenty of richness and texture, and balanced, elegant profiles." (05/2020) 92 points Vinous: "The 2017 Red Wine Innovant is gorgeous and sleek. Sweet red cherry, spice, mint and mocha give the 2017 striking aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. Readers will find a stylish 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with terrific freshness and plenty of verve. (AG)" (04/2020) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Previously $45)]( Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Previously $45)]( Price: Hidden 94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Moving to the 2017s and starting with the base Châteauneuf Du Pape, it's a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was brought up mostly in demi-muids. Revealing a ruby/purple hue as well as notes of black raspberries, kirsch, garrigue, incense, and loamy soil and earth, this beauty hits the palate with beautiful depth of fruit, a layered, rounded, sexy texture, no hard edges, remarkable purity, and just tons of charm. Drink it any time over the coming decade or more." (08/2019) 91-92 points Vinous: "Highly perfumed red berry and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of cracked pepper and smoky minerals. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering ripe raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. In a seamless, energetic style, displaying a smooth blend of richness and finesse and finishing gently sweet and impressively long, with even tannins and building spiciness. (JR)" (12/2019) 92 points Wine Spectator: "Ripe and forward, with raspberry and blackberry puree flavors gliding through atop a silky structure, while anise, fruitcake and black tea notes swirl around. Moderate grip keeps this balanced. (JM)" (11/2019) K&L Notes: One of the stars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is Château de Vaudieu. Laurent Brechet has lovingly resurrected this noble property and established it as one of the most forward and terroir-driven estates in the region. The property sits at a junction of the main soil types found in Châteauneuf. Decomposed sandstone, red clay-limestone and galets (rolled stones) are all present as are the main grapes in the region: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Laurent considers this his sum-greater-than-parts blend and we couldn't agree more. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Fromm "Cuvée H" Pinot Noir Marlborough]( Fromm "Cuvée H" Pinot Noir Marlborough]( ($34.99) 95 points Bob Campbell: "A blend of Fromm's single vineyard wines that's right up to their very high standards. A solid core of ripe cherry and berry, with a seasoning of savoury, dried herb, spice and nutty oak characters. Savour it now or enjoy it in a few years." (04/2020) 95 points James Suckling: "This has a rich array of red cherries and blueberries with a sappy and herbal edge. The palate rolls out attractively mouth-filling, fleshy Pinot fruit and carries a long, plush and building wave of tannin. Dark-cherry finish." (12/2020) 95 points Sam Kim: "Offering wonderful fruit purity and elegant complexity, the wine shows dark cherry, raspberry, floral, thyme and anise notes on the nose. The palate is concentrated and textural with flowing mouthfeel and fine-grained tannins, making the wine refined and beautifully structured. It's youthfully charming and splendidly balanced with outstanding harmony and length." (03/2020) [Thomas-Smith.jpg]( Smith]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 29, 2021 Fromm is unequivocally the best producer of Pinot Noir in Marlborough. Over the past 30 years, they have scoured the clay soils of Marlboroughs Southern Valleys and have pinpointed the best vineyards in the region: Clayvin, La Strada, Churton and Quarters. Fromms Cuvee H is the very best of these vineyards. Each vintage, they select the top barrels from each of these vineyards with an emphasis on New French Oak and whole cluster lots. The result is extraordinary. Ripened Strawberry and crushed cherry accent the purity of fruit while an affirmative oak profile brings touches of vanilla, clove and spice, intertwining in a deep, complex expression of Pinot Noir. The softened tannins and a smooth texture darted with acidic snap made this disappear from my glass almost effortlessly. This is jaw-dropping delicious. Able to stand toe-to-toe with the best Reserve Pinot Noirs made anywhere in California, but at half the price, the Cuvee H is a testament to the extraordinary quality and exceptional winemaking of Marlborough Pinot Noir. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2016 Jax Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50+)]( Jax Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50+)]( Price: Hidden 94 points Wine Enthusiast: "This wine is plush, lush and fruity, interwoven with tones of cardamom and clove. The palate is rich in feel, bolstered by layers of orange peel, cassis and toasted oak flavors. (VB)" (03/2019) 91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Made up of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is scented of cedar, cassis and camphor with herbs and earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is vivacious with loads of fruit and a velvety texture with a refreshing finish. (LPB)" (12/2018) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux]( Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux]( ($64.99) 94 points James Suckling: "Aromas of blueberries and stone with some dried-flower notes. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a medium finish. Linear and refined with a very fine line of tannins running through it." (01/2020) 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2017 Malescot St. Exupery is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot aged in French oak, 70% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it is redolent of warm red and black currants, kirsch and raspberry pie on the nose with floral wafts, tobacco and wild sage in the background plus a hint of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, it is packed with expressive red and black fruits and is velvety and refreshing, finishing long. (LPB)" (03/2020) 93 points Vinous: "The 2017 Malescot St. Exupéry was cropped at 38hl/ha and aged in 70% new oak for 13 to 15 months. This has a lovely plushness and purity on the nose with copious dark cherries, blueberry and violet aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a subtle marine influence here with a precise and persistent finish. This is one of the best Margaux wines in 2017 and comes highly recommended. You know, this might improve further with bottle age. (NM) 93+" (02/2020) 91-93 points Wine Enthusiast: "This is a fruit-driven wine, packed with a strong black-currant character and bright acidity. The tannins are light, though they lend ample structure for medium-term aging. It is more about freshness and attractive fruit. (RV)" (04/2018) 93 points Wine Spectator: "The plum and cassis notes are pure and fresh, carried by a polished structure, while aromatic black tea, violet, bergamot and alder elements hang in the background. Very stylish and nicely rendered for the vintage. (JM)" (03/2020) 93 points Decanter: "Starts out strongly, attractive high fruit aromatics on the nose, acidity a touch sharp but they do a great job of balancing it with plush well-expressed plum and cassis fruit, carefully placed with elegance and poise. (JA)" (11/2019) 91 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A ripe, fleshy wine, with lots of ripe blackberry and black raspberry notes, the 2017 Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupery comes from a site in the heart of Margaux and 45-year-old vines planted in deep, gravelly soils. Nicely textured and medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe tannins and a great finish. Michel Rolland also consults here, and this estate consistently produces outstanding wines." (02/2020) K&L Notes: 93+ points Antonio Gallone for Vinous: "The 2017 Malescot Saint Exupéry has really come together nicely over the course of its élevage. In this vintage, Malescot is a bit more fruity and less structured than it has been. Cedar, licorice, dried herbs, menthol and scorched earth notes give the 2017 a distinctly savory feel to match its somber, virile personality. The 2017 is a wine that keeps getting better each time I taste it, and that makes me very hopeful for the future; it will be interesting to see what happens here with aging, and, specifically, if a bit more structure emerges. This is a wine of great personality and character." (03/2020) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Wayfarer "Wayfarer Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $90)]( Wayfarer "Wayfarer Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $90)]( Price: Hidden 95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Based on a mix of clones, the 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard was mostly destemmed and spent 15 months in 50-60% new French oak. It reveals a bright ruby-tinged color and offers a feminine style in its notes of raspberries, flowers, rose hips, and spice. It's fine, incredibly elegant, has fine tannins, and just glides over the palate." (06/2019) 95 points James Suckling: "This has very complex aromas of primary fruit, wild herbs, blue fruit and a spicy, meaty edge. Assertive oak meets rich fruit. The palate is impressively pure, supple and richly flavored with blueberries and cherries. Such concentrated and delicious, darker-fruited Pinot here." (09/2019) 94 points Vinous: "The 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is a blend of all the parcels on the property. Pliant, supple and engaging with no hard edges, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of ripe red berry fruit. This supple, mid-weight Pinot has so much to offer. Today, it is absolutely delicious, not to mention incredibly inviting. I have a feeling the 2017 has a lot still to say, so I won't be surprised if it is even better in another few years' time. (AG)" (04/2020) 94 points Wine Enthusiast: "Smoky oak lies beneath thick tangy red fruit laced in high-toned acidity that takes on a quality of citrus in this bold and beautiful estate wine. Full bodied, with plenty of power, it displays remarkable grace that contrasts and complements the firm structured tannin. (VB)" (09/2019) 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2017 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard is made from the 11 different clones grown on the property. Medium ruby-purple, it features crushed gravel, cranberry, sliced blueberry, rhubarb, moss-covered bark and stewed black tea leaves with hints of classy new oak. Medium-bodied, it has an intense fruit core with earthy accents, a silky, rounded texture and a soft frame of grainy tannins. It has juicy freshness and a long finish. This is a full, lush style with satisfying nuance and layering. (EB)" (12/2019) 92 points Wine Spectator: "Very creamy, featuring pastry notes to the inky red plum, sandalwood and dried berry flavors. Mocha latte details show on the rich finish, with medium-grained tannins. (KM)" (08/2019) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2016 Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino]( Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino]( ($94.95) 99 points Wine Enthusiast: "Earthy aromas of blue flower, rose, underbrush and leather mingle together on this gorgeous, fragrant red. All about finesse and flavor, the medium-bodied palate is absolutely delicious,featuring juicy morello cherry, crushed raspberry, baking spice, star anise and the barest hint of game.Its radiant and beautifully balanced thanks to taut, polished tannins and bright acidity. Its alreadyshowing incredibly well but hold for even more complexity. *Cellar Selection* (KO)" (03/2021) 96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Le Potazzine always delivers a smooth and silky style with extreme elegance and the lifted cool-climate fruit that you get from this high-altitude growing site. The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is taut and firm with cherry fruit, dried raspberry, tilled earth, spice and blue flower. The wine sees an extended fermentation of 40 days and ages in botte grande for 42 months. This is a well-balanced wine that is slightly thinner, with one notch lower intensity in this vintage compared to past editions. You get a light, sharp and streamlined style. (ML) 96+" (11/2020) 95 points Vinous: "The remarkably pretty 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a pure bouquet full of wild strawberries, woodland berries and herbs with a hint of crushed stone. It's soft and enveloping, displaying fleshy red fruits, savory spice and salty minerals, while vibrant acids maintain wonderful freshness. It's only at the very end that its youthful structure comes forward, grippy and classically drying, yet under an air of red licorice and inner rose. Theres a beautiful harmony to this vintage of Le Potazzine, which should provide a long and wide drinking window. (EG)" (11/2020) 95 points Wine Spectator: "Black cherry, black currant and plum flavors are front and center in this supple red, with accents of earth, iron, leather and tobacco chiming in as the tannins flex their muscles on the long finish. Everything is there, this just needs to integrate. (BS)" (03/2021) 94 points James Suckling: "This is a cooler style of Brunello with blueberries, black cherries, crushed stones and lavender. It's full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Yet, it opens at the end to pinpointed fruit and tannins. Give this time to soften. Try after 2024." (11/2020) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Hillrock Estate Solera Aged Single Barrel K&L Exclusive Shea Vineyards "Homer Vineyard" Oregon Pinot Noir Finished Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)]( Estate Solera Aged Single Barrel K&L Exclusive Shea Vineyards "Homer Vineyard" Oregon Pinot Noir Finished Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)]( ($139.99) The remarkable Hillrock Estate has brought a bevy of worthy innovations to the American whiskey world. Not only are they the first since Prohibition to bring back a farm distillery model, but under the tutelage of the late, great Dave Pickerell, they established one of the most interesting and robust aging programs in the United States. The solera system has been used in the production of world-class wine and brandy for centuries in Europe, most famously in Jerez for Sherry production. A solera can most easily be thought of as a pyramid of barrels. When it’s time to bottle, a little bit of liquid is pulled from each barrel in the bottom row. The space created in the bottom row is filled with a little bit of liquid from each barrel in the row above. This process continues on up to the top barrel, which is then topped up with the base wine, or base aged whisky in the case of Hillrock. As this system progresses, the complexity and age of the spirit is ever increasing as long as the bottling volume remains relatively small. The end result for a whiskey solera that began with 4 year old spirit is a bourbon unlike anything else on the market. Add to this a lengthy finishing period in a fresh Pinot Noir barrel from one of Oregon’s premier wineries and top vineyards, Shea Vineyards-Homer Vineyard, and you’ve got a stunning bottle of whiskey. This Homer cask was bottled exclusively for K&L at cask strength and without chill filtration. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2002 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" Brut Champagne (Previously $180)]( Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" Brut Champagne (Previously $180)]( ($149.99) 98 points James Suckling: "A very composed Champagne with plenty of still fresh lemon and white cherry fruits on offer. There's impressive clarity, power and richness here. The nose has candied peach, strawberry, white cherry and grilled nuts. Very flavorsome palate with pastry flavors adding savory notes to the stone fruits and citrus. Toasted almonds and chalky minerals define the long finish. Still so young and powerful!" (10/2017) 97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2002 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged in January 2015 with four grams per liter dosage, and it's showing superbly, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet that mingles confit citrus, peach and dried papaya with nuances of iodine, brioche and honeycomb. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a rich and layered core that's underpinned by serious structure and tension, concluding with a long and precise finish. This is one of the finest wines Billecart has released in the last decade, and it is well worth seeking out. (WK)" (08/2019) 96 points Vinous: "The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (AG)" (08/2020) 96 points Wine Enthusiast: "With its ripe fruits, rich texture and layers of toast, this is a great wine. It shows the quality of the great 2002 vintage brilliantly. It's complex and concentrated with an array of mature fruit flavors that combine to a structured whole. It will improve with age, so drink this great Champagne through 2025 and perhaps longer. *Cellar Selection* (RV)" (12/2013) 96 points Decanter: "Subtle nose of lemon-spiked raw pastry and a harmonious palate of incredible finesse. Scented and perfumed notes of lemon balm, shortbread and lemon zest fill the mind and senses. Utter elegance and happiness follows. (AK)" (06/2016) 95 points Wine Spectator: "There's a buoyant, almost ethereal quality to this elegant Champagne, offering a rich range of blackberry pâte de fruit, crystallized honey, grilled nut and oyster shell flavors, set on a fine, chalky mousse. Long and mouthwatering, with a clean, citrus-infused finish. (AN)" (11/2015) Jancis Robinson: "60% Pinot Noir (premier and grand cru vineyards from Montagne de Reims and Grande Vallée de la Marne). 40% Chardonnay (premier and grand cru vineyards from Côte des Blancs). 10 years lees ageing. Dosage 4 g/l which has gradually been reduced from 6 g/l. Released in 2016. 2006 and 2002 both on the market with the former much more evolved. Their prestige Brut which seems to work best if it's a 60:40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Matthieu Billecart wants to keep some back. Quite evolved but still with that tension. Notably pungent. Very brioche and tight and gently sparkling. Very gently unwinding. Long and neat but definitely not austere. (The 1996 is apparently great now.) Electrically reverberant. 18.5/20 points (JR)" (06/2019) [gary.gif]( Westby]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 23, 2021 This spectacular offering from Billecart-Salmon is composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. It is fermented primarily in stainless steel at very cold temperatures to give it the freshness that we all love, but 13% was done in oak for added richness. The dosage is very low, just 5 grams per liter, and just over 4,000 cases were made. The wine has a very creamy Nutella and white fruit nose with a very clean, citric flavor. The NFB has presence on the palate, with plenty of concentration and texture, and a very long finish that shows off the savor of the top-quality Pinot Noir in the blend. This is one of the top wines from the 2002 vintage, and it is great to see the patience of the Billecart family, who are releasing this as one of the last 2002s to market. This has great potential for keeping but will not last long in our stocks! [scottbeckerley.gif]( Beckerley]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 24, 2021 This is one of the best bottles of champagne that we currently have in stock. From one of the best vintages in the 20th and 21st century! Stone fruits, citrus, and toasted nuts on the nose. Very aromatic and delicate. On the palate, a very fine bead, with the aforementioned toasted nuts, citrus, marmalade and cake notes. Don't be afraid of the low dosage! This adds minerals and light chalk but, it is not one of these teeth chattering high acid bubblies. Like everything else Billecart-Salmon, it is just right! [Stephanie-Vidales.jpg]( Vidales]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 24, 2021 This is an excellent bottle of wine that you won't want to sleep on. This 2002 Champagne from the great house of Billecart Salmon has aged gracefully and is drinking wonderfully right now. White cherry, ripe peach, citrus and toasted nuts round out this full-bodied, layered wine. It has chalky minerality too, which just adds to the complexity. For the Champagne enthusiasts and Billecart fans - this is for you! --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive]( page. 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