Wines Reviewed In This Article

 

2001 Soter Beacon Hill Brut Rosé

1997 Soter Brut Rosé

1998 Soter Brut Rosé

1999 Soter Brut Rosé

NV Philipponnat
Le Reflet

NV L. Mawby Talismon Brut

NV Joseph Perrier Cuvee Royale

2004 Canals Nadal Cava Brut

NV Costco Kirkland Signature Brut Rosé

2004 Roessler La Brisa Sonoma Coast Peay Vineyard Pinot Noir

NV Jacques Selosse Brut Rosé

1990 Bollinger Grande Annee Rosé

1999 Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Blanc de Blancs

 

 

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Tony Soter’s Oregon winery, Soter Vineyards, started out as a Pinot Noir and Brut Rosé sparkling wine camp, but has grown to encompass still wines made from Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay too. Soter (of Etude fame, along with having worked with Araujo, Shafer and Dalle Valle, among others) only makes wine in vintages he sees as worthwhile; for instance, his Brut Rosé has been made in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001. He currently only makes one sparkling wine, the Brut Rosé, but they plan on releasing a Blanc de Blancs later this year or in early 2008. I’d go into more detail on Tony Soter, but the Gang has already been there and done that.

It took me a while to understand Soter’s sparkling Brut Rosé. When I first tried the 1997 and 1998 vintages, I was disappointed. It seemed tart, harsh, one dimensional, and full of strange, bland Pinot Noir flavors. What I later realized (later as in 4-6 hours or the next day) is that the wine needs time to breathe and let itself bloom. Then, it stands out as a very high quality and distinct sparkling wine. I have never had typical still wine Pinot Noir flavors carry themselves through in a sparkling wine as I have with Soter Vineyards. They may not be very apparent when you pop the bottle, but try it on day two. They’re there. To me, Soter is not just a rising star among US sparkling wine producers, but one of the best out there already.

2001 Soter Beacon Hill Brut Rose2001 Soter Beacon Hill Brut Rosé
(65% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir; Beacon Hill, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA; New & neutral oak along with stainless steel fermentation and aging; Saignee method; 6 g/L dosage; Disgorged March 2006; 748 cases; $35-50 US)

This is an orange leaning pink salmon shade of color and as with past vintages, the mousse is full of vigor. A lovely, slightly tart cherry and strawberry aroma mingles with scents of biscuits, yeast, and flowers. Spiced cherries, hints of tea, citrus, and rhubarb pie (crust, filling, and a dollop of cream) really give this wine one heck of a flavor medley. The finish is mouthwetting, yet full of lovely cherry skin and tea leaf flavors. Left for day two, this developed the trademark Soter Brut Rosé characteristic of creamy, slightly spicy, mellowed dark cherries.

Compared to previous vintages, this wine drinks very well with minimal air time and it is more balanced with more sparkling wine character and less of still Pinot Noir. There just seems to be an extra kick of zest to the 2001. I have always enjoyed Soter’s wines and this one is no different. It is a fine effort, and to me, their best to date. Grade of B+ (87-89 pts). Find this wine

While we are mentioning the 2001 above, I figured I would dig up my most recent notes on the 1997-1999 Soter Brut Rosé sparklers. This trio was tasted in late September of 2006.

1997 Soter Brut Rosé
(70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir; Beacon Hill, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA; New & neutral oak along with stainless steel fermentation and aging; Saignee method; 6-8 g/L dosage; Disgorged March 2002; 500 cases; $35-50 US)
Initially, this wine starts off bland and rather closed with only light aromas of awkward, watery, stewed cherries showing through.  Faint flavors of medicinal and tart cherries seem to be the highlight of the palate and don’t exactly have me reaching for my glass.

But, with a few hours, everything comes together and this wine starts to drink very well. Soft and slightly sweet vanilla is poured over baked dark cherries. A sprinkling of allspice and cinnamon finishes up the dish. This wine never explodes at you, but instead sneaks up on you and becomes a very enjoyable foil for pork, turkey, chicken, and salmon dishes.

I'm not sure if it is because of the first vintage learning curve, the vintage characteristics, or the wine's age, but the 1997 seems a bit more subdued and different from the vintages that follow. Grade of Low B (82-84 pts). Find this wine

1998 Soter Brut Rosé
(70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir; Beacon Hill, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA; New & neutral oak along with stainless steel fermentation and aging; Saignee method; 6-8 g/L dosage; Disgorged March 2003; 500 cases; $35-50 US)
A cherry and sharp citrus nose explodes up at me from the glass. The palate follows suit as this wine is wrapped up tight. Not quite ripe red berries, citrus, and a harsh and jagged finish leave me puckering. But, as you have probably noticed (or will), this is a recurring theme with the Soter Brut Rosé. They are tight, jagged, and strange when you first open them, but let them breathe and they bloom.

About 6 hours later, it dramatically shifted to a lush, creamy, slightly biscuity, strawberry, and ripe dark cherry concoction. Touches of allspice, vanilla, and cinnamon rounded it all out and a mouth-wetting cherry vanilla spiced finish brings it home. Air can do amazing things to a wine. Grade of Low B+ (86-88 pts).  Find this wine

1999 Soter Brut Rosé
(65% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir; Beacon Hill, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA; New & neutral oak along with stainless steel fermentation and aging; Saignee method; 6-8 g/L dosage; Disgorged March 2005; 530 cases; $35-50 US)
On opening, a strawberry and cherry spiced nose leads into a palate that is initially quite off putting. A watered down and slightly astringent cherry cough syrup flavor mixes with a meaty aspect that left me scratching my head and wondering what went wrong. The bitter and slightly harsh finish had me using both hands to do the head scratching.

With a few hours of air, my head scratching stopped and a smile broke across my face as this had blossomed nicely.  What I now had in front of me was creamy dough wrapped around a filling made of  tart citrus, spiced cherries, and juicy strawberries. A prickly finish was the only sign of the harsh flavors that initially showed. Grade of High B (85-87 pts). Find this wine

Philipponnat’s Le Reflet is often referred to as the second wine of Clos de Goisses because the Pinot from Clos de Goisses that is not deemed good enough for the “Clos” cuvee is mixed with Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs. It performs best (using “best” in a relative sense) when drunk within 1-2 years of purchase. Dumb person that I am, I kept the bottle seen below a wee bit longer.

NV Philipponnat Le RefletNV Philipponnat Le Reflet
(50% Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Cuis, Grauves, Oger, & Vertus, 50% Pinot Noir from Clos des Goisses; ~ 3 years aging on its lees; I believe this is a pure 1993 disgorged in 1997/1998; $25-45 US)
Lots of honey, citrus, and sherry on the nose are not signaling good things to me. More sherry, dried out citrus, and thin mineral notes make up the flavor core. The finish is bitter, thin, and oxidized.

I have gone through multiple bottles of this over the last 5 years. Why does this fall apart so quickly after release? Philipponnat’s other NV wines don’t perform like this. I don’t understand, but maybe I shouldn’t worry, I’m not sure if they make this cuvee anymore and it was never that good right after release either. Actually, I don’t care as I’m done with this wine. Grade of D+ (67-69 pts) and over the hill. Find this wine

I am not much of a fan of Michigan wines. I have had quite a few, but at the end of the day only two hold any place in my cellar. These two are Wyncroft and L. Mawby. L. Mawby is a sparkling wine producer located in the “pinky” of Michigan. L. Mawby makes quite a few sparkling wines and my favorites sit at the top of his range. The Blanc de Blancs, Talismon, and Mille have always been welcome at my table alongside the best of Champagne. L. Mawby is definitely a producer to watch and I encourage you to pick a bottle up of any of the three I mention above. I’d wager a hefty sum that the bottle will be better than you expect and might even have you thinking Champagne with a twist.

NV L. Mawby Talismon Brut
(A mix of Vignoles, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay ; Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, USA; Fermented in an oak solera system; Cuvee 63; Bottled April 2001; Disgorged December 2004; Bottle 2924 of 3555; $20-30 US)
Gentle kisses of oak laced flowers mix with tart pears and light peaches to form a rather full bodied and inviting nose. These aromas lead into flavors of crisp citrus, juicy pear, and creamy oak with delicate touches of sherry spice. The mouth feel is not quite as full as the nose would lead you to believe. In fact, the oak and fruit combine to bring an element of fluffiness to the spicy, citrus filled, and slightly drying finish.

This wine is quite enjoyable, and in many ways more Champagne-like than most of what comes out of the US. My only knock on it is that while I enjoy all of the flavors, they do not integrate together as well as I would like to see. It is almost like each flavor is singing its own solo with the oak notes singing especially off key. That said, it is very enjoyable and a good deal for the price. I will caution that some of L. Mawby’s cuvees can be quite variable in quality. But, at least he notes the cuvee number and other important information on the bottle so that you know what you are getting. Grade of Low B (82-85 pts). Find this wine

NV Joseph Perrier Cuvee RoyaleNV Joseph Perrier Cuvee Royale
(35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier; Reserve wines aged in large, old oak barrels; Disgorged ~2002; $30-40 US)
A somewhat rich nose boasting doughy biscuits, pears, steely & floral citrus, and a very slight hint of nutty maturity greets me and brings a smile to my face. The palate has a good body and a striking citrus backbone that shows hints of sherry and knocks me back a bit with its power. Branching off from the backbone are flavors of pear, biscuit dough, yeast, hints of salt and a chalky minerality. It finishes up rather long with a creamy chalky note that darts off in racy directions every now and then.

This is quite a wild wine. It is very flavorful, but many of the flavors are raw and jagged. It is not a soft or delicate NV wine, but rather it is one that calls out for food. Be it roasted chicken, turkey, or a nice piece of beef, this wine will be at home. I for one enjoy the wild-eyed personality that it shows. It will age for a good deal longer and is guaranteed to break you out of any stupor you may be in. Grade of Solid B (84-86 pts). Find this wine

2004 Canals Nadal Cava Brut2004 Canals Nadal Cava Brut
(45% Xarel-lo; 40% Macabeu, 15% Parellada; 2 years aging on the lees; alc; $10-15 US)
Light and fluffy aromas of pear, yellow apples, citrus, and baseball card bubble gum powder fill my nose. The palate starts off with a rush of citrus, but quickly becomes more Cava like as a light to medium fluffy body is highlighted by gently tart apples and pears. A bubble gum tinged creaminess finishes it out.

Normally I find bubble gum flavors to be a turn off, but they are in the background of this Cava and are nicely integrated. I am impressed by this bottle of bubbles. It isn’t very expensive, it is very refreshing, and the flavors all play nice. This won’t knock you out, but it will bring a smile to your face. I like it quite a bit more than the 2003 Reserva. Grade of High B- (81-83 pts). Find this wine

NV Costco Kirkland Signature Brut RoseNV Costco Kirkland Signature Brut Rosé
(30% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier; Produced by SAS Jannison for de Bruyne who packaged this for Costco; Some oak fermentation/aging; Disgorged 2006; $30 US)
You have to love Costco. According to the front label this wine is “rare.” The back label tells us that this wine is from Sezanne and that Rosé Champagne is now “very rare” as Rosé Champagne represents only a miniscule portion of Champagne produced (amazing how Rosé Champagne grew more rare in the time it took me to spin the bottle around). I guess everything is relative, but when the local party store has a couple different Rosés, they sure aren’t rare. Oh, and this wine isn’t from Sezanne either (though parts of it may be). Sezanne just happens to be the headquarters for the Champagne Negociant Distributeur de Bruyne who participated in getting Costco’s name on the label.

As for the wine, it has a cloying, copper tinged pink color to it. I call it cloying because the color tilts towards a pastel hot pink and just doesn’t sit right with me. That may sound strange and I can overlook it, but I just don’t like it as it seems that it was concocted based on the results of a marketing research study. The nose has a nice upfront aroma of bright red citrus fruits, but they are quickly overtaken by dusty biscuit notes that dry everything up. A very lively palate greets me with bursts of tart ruby red grapefruit, creamy sweet biscuits, a bit of chalk dust, and juicy red berries. It is definitely quite flavorful, but the finish knocks it back a bit with its dried out hard dough notes.

This wine is a bit of a handful. On one hand, it is a bit too tart and a bit too sweet. It is a bit cloying and has similarities to SweetTarts ™ candy. It also has an odd hard and dry finish to it. On the other hand, it is quite flavorful and it is a bit young so with time the faults may work themselves out. In the end, I find this very similar to Costco’s Brut Champagne (also made by Jannison). It is a bit rough out of the gate, but has the potential to improve. It isn’t a great find, but it performs as expected for the price. Grade of High C+ for today (78-80 pts) with B- potential (80-82 pts) in 1-3 years.

2004 Roessler La Brisa Sonoma Coast Peay Vineyard Pinot Noir
(100% Pinot Noir; Sonoma Coast, California; 14.8% alc; 97 cases; $35-50 US)
This is what I call a Tony Klee Selection. Tony is the wine guy at Holiday Market in Canton, MI and is always quick to point out a top-notch wine that he thinks is well priced and tailored for my palate. He is a big fan of US Pinot and has the knack at finding small production gems and also finding a way to offer them at reasonable prices. This Roessler was one of his new finds and I happily scooped a bottle up to try.

In the glass, it takes on a slightly dark cherry hue. Mix this with the lush and deep cherry and spice aromatics and you have the makings of a rich pinot that appears to perfectly balance big and ripe with elegance and finesse. Flavors of ripe cherry, cinnamon, allspice, a touch of horsehide, some tartness, and tea leaves paint a very expressive palate. A well-structured finish brings out more of the tea notes and gives a hint that the next few years will be kind to this wine.

I’ve never been known as a Pinot Noir fan, but I enjoyed this wine very much. It shows good fruit, but has plenty of other flavor complexity as well as a tannic streak to ring in the future. The alcohol percentage is on the high side for Pinot in my book, but I never picked up on any heat. Good pick Tony; I would gladly buy this again. And, this is a still wine and not a bubbly. Not all the wines I drink have bubbles, but if I write one up here, it moved me. Grade of High B+ (88-90 pts). Find this wine

NV Jacques Selosse Brut Rosé
(90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir; Oak fermentation and aging; $125-225 US)
Well, I love Jacques Selosse’s wines, but he needs to stick to Chardonnay because all adding Pinot Noir does to this cuvee is ruin it. It carries the trademark of Selosse, being rich with attractive sherry and oak notes and hints of spiced cream. Unfortunately, these flavors (which come from the Chardonnay) do not go well with the Pinot Noir. Where Selosse’s Blanc de Blancs would keep on climbing the ladder to flavor paradise, the Pinot Noir brings in an odd cherry note that knocks you off the ladder. It is interesting, but the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fight with each other and create a wine that absolutely does not go with food. It isn’t a bad wine, but it is one to drink without food. In a way, it is kind of like a Mollydooker or Marquis Philips Shiraz in that it is interesting to have a glass, but what do you do with a bottle? Grade of Low B (82-84 pts). Find this wine

1990 Bollinger Grande Annee Rose1990 Bollinger Grande Annee Rosé
(71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay; Red wine addition method; Disgorged late 1990s; $100-150 US)
I’ve had this wine a few times in the past and it has been all over the place in quality. This is to be expected as Bollinger had documented quality problems with it. Luckily, this one didn’t show any ill effects and was a rather good example of what Bollinger could do with Rosé in 1990. However, I should also mention that Bollinger has never fared well with their Rosés (though they reportedly made some changes in 1996 and have produced nice ones since then) so “good example” should be taken in relative terms.

A rich and biscuity nose greets me with a smile, but this wine must not like me too much as the palate quickly turns that smile to a frown. There is plenty of dark toast and coffee grind flavors, but a few off-putting sherried red berry notes muddle the picture. Others commented that they found dark chocolate flavors in the wine and I can see that, but I can’t find much fruit and that worries me. It does improve with food, but it leaves me wanting something else. Grade of High B- (81-83 pts). Find this wine

1999 Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Blanc de Blancs1999 Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Blanc de Blancs
(100% Chardonnay; Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; 70+ year old vines from a single parcel called Chetillons Stainless steel fermentation; 7-8 g/L dosage; Disgorged early 2006; $65-90 US)
A nose full of creamy pears, mellow apples, dough, and hints of funk greets me. I’m not sure where the funk is coming from, but it recalls 1980’s vintage Salon. The palate shows more of the funk as it meshes with citrus and yeast to form a somewhat racy and large tasting beginning. Steely and mineral laced lemons and apples follow up the funky citrus and lighten the wine up, but then this does a Demon Drop. Out of nowhere this wine disappears clean as a whistle as a whiff of fresh linen, apple juice, and mineral dashes off before you realize that it was leaving.

Well, this is certainly an interesting wine. It has many good points, but it just doesn’t seem to put it all together. I fell in love with the Cuvee Speciale in the 1996 vintage, but further vintages have failed to deliver the hype this cuvee gets. With time this will improve a bit, but I still think I would rather have a bottle of the NV Cuvee de Reserve at around half to two-thirds the price. Grade of Low B (82-85 pts) with Low B+ (86-88 pts) potential in 5-10 years. Find this wine

Cheers!

Brad Baker

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