Nathalie Falmet le Val Cornet Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

(a blend of pinot noir and pinot meunier; disgorged May 29, 2012): Bright yellow-gold. Heady, complex scents of red berries, Asian spices, rose and incense. A blood orange nuance comes up with air and carries onto the palate, which offers sappy raspberry and peach flavors and a smoky mineral overtone that adds lift and cut. A yeasty note lingers on the long, spicy finish, which features chalky minerals and a hint of honey. Score - 93. (Josh Raynolds, vinousmedia.com, Dec. 2013)