Roederer Estate
(nv) Brut
Anderson Valley -$18.00

Clean aroma with a hint of yeastiness; complex, controlled apple-like flavors with a creamy and persistent mousse; very harmonious balance and a medium-long finish. A clear winner.

Domaine Carneros
1995 Brut
Napa - Carneros -$18.00

Clean aroma with a hint of flint; very light mouthfeel and pleasing flavors with a nice lemony tartness; tiny and very persistent bubbles. Probably would show well matched with light foods.

Pacific Echo
(nv) Brut
Mendocino -$15.

Clean, slightly fruity aroma with touches of almond, vanilla, bread dough or toast; nicely layered, although light flavors are smooth, round, soft; low acid; pleasant, somewhat short finish.

J
1995
Sonoma County -$25.

Very light aroma, slightly flinty; very clean, very light, floral and faintly citrussy flavor; balance is almost sweet; very persistent and tiny bubbles and a medium-length finish.

S. Anderson
1995 Brut
Napa Valley -$21.

Faint vanilla aroma with initial matchstick; very rich, soft mouthfeel with pleasant citrus and tart apple flavors, almost sweet/sour; medium-full bodied; harmonious balance and good length

S. Anderson
1985 Brut (Late Disgorged)
Napa Valley -$30.
(winery only)

Full, yeasty, leesy, toasty, baked apple, complex aromas; very big and flavorful with elements of yeast, minerals, apples and hints of Amaretto, oak and caramel; very rich; good length. Very well-developed older style.

Jepson
(nv) Blanc de Blanc
Burney Hill Vnyd, Mendocino -$17.

Big, ripe, fruity aroma with a sweet, floral and banana peel (linalool) character; unusual sweet and sour and perfumey flavor; very lively bubbles.

Jepson
1994 Blanc de Blanc
Burney Hill Vnyd, Mendocino -$17.

Aggressive, yeasty, toasty, somewhat cheesy aroma; complex segmented flavors mix cheese, coffee, rye, almonds, apples, honey and citrus; slight bitterness and noticeable acescence mar finish.

Jepson
1992 Blanc de Blanc
Mendocino -$17.

Obvious fruit, with vanilla, yeast and bread dough aromas; expansive, almost "thick" mouthfeel; very light green apple, caramel and toast flavors show some oxidation; clean, crisp, but short finish.

One additional bottle was distinctly "corked" and therefore not rated. Although not previously noted, this was our fourth tasting out of the past ten where a bad cork ruined a bottle. This problem has increased over the past decade and is no longer tolerable. PfW gives its wholehearted endorsement to synthetic corks, in hopes the wineries are listening...