Wine By Nine

Vintage by Henriot from Champagne, France - regions. Racy, elegant and harmonious from start to finish. Candied citrus, honey and hazelnut flavors play out on a silky texture, and all is backed by a firm but unobtrusive structure. Lovely expression of the vintage. Drink now through 2010. -Wine Spectator Highly Recommended Brightly coloured with green tints. Fine, persistent bubbles. Rich and fresh on the nose. White fruit and flowers evolving towards mineral, spicy notes. Remarkably balanced on the palate. The attack is fresh and remarkably well balanced with a silky texture. Very pure and fine. This wine will be excellent as an aperitif and could also accompany refined fish dishes.

Vintage by Nicolas Feuillatte from Champagne, France - regions. The cuvees of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte are blended from wines grown in more than 500 hectares of exclusively Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards located throughout Champagne. Each vineyard and each varietal Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier is vinified separately to allow absolute precision in the final blends of each Champagne. There is a minimum aging of 3 years. Respecting grape varieties, the Cuvee Speciale Brut Vintage 1999 emphasises the delicacy of the Chardonnay which accounts for 60% of the blend. The right proportion of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier give it balance and homogeneity. Pale gold color, generous effervescence. The first notes of citrus fruit (lemon and grapefruit) mixed with floral aromas of may blossom and physalis make the first nose tonic and fresh. Then, in turn, honey, gingerbread and Virginia tobacco reveal aromas which are more suave and gourmand. Vivaciousness and delicacy characterise the citrus fruit bouquet which develops harmoniously to give good balance on the palate.

Vintage by Laurent-Perrier from Champagne, France - regions. This is sumptuous and delicate, offering peach, beeswax and ginger notes. Firmly structured, with a chalklike sensation underneath that emerges on the finish. Drink now through 2015. Wine Spectator 90 Points

Vintage by Nicolas Feuillatte from Champagne, France. The Nicolas Feuillatte 1998 Blanc de Blanc is a unique expression of Champagne, a 100% Chardonnay Cuvee, pale gold in color, with sumptuous aromas and flavors of green apple, dried figs, honeysuckle and a fresh, bright finish.

Vintage by Philipponnat from Champagne, France - regions. The vintaged Brut is only made in the best years. The grapes originate mainly from the Grands Crus of the Vallee de la Marne and the Cote des Blancs, limited production. The blend is composed mainly of Pinot Noir mixed with Chardonnay and is aged for many years in cellars before being marketed. Deep pink in color, extremely fine discreet mousse. The rich bouquet is full of ripe fruits, candied fruits, and figs. It's well-structured with an exceptionally long finish. Marries well with all types of meals except very spicy or sweet but is delightful when served after dinner.

Vintage by Argyle from Willamette Valley, Oregon. What were you doing twelve years ago? We were picking the grapes that have become this sparkling wine. Since then it has been aging slowly on yeast in the bottle in our cool temperature warehouse. The color is a rich, youthful yellow. After ten years of waiting, the aromas are ready to punch out of the glass with a rich potpourri of wild ginger root, Gala apple, and a splash of nectarine, tangerine and mandarin! The flavor is extra creamy in texture. The bubbles are tiny and foamy. The fruit flavors of the aroma complex with pink pepper spice and baked filo dough yeastiness. Mouth-filling richness is translated into a very long and fresh finish. This wine will also age for quite some time on cork if cellared properly. The 1995 vintage in Oregon was a sparkling winemakers dream. Late ripening, of perfectly balanced sparkling wine grapes were unaffected by early rains. Everyone of the some 25 base wines we made in 1995 was a delight. The grapes for this wine were hand-picked into small baskets. They were then transported to the winery where they were chilled to 35 degrees F before being gently pressed. After several weeks of settling in tank, only the freshest heart juice was fermented using one of Argyle's proprietary yeast strains. A blend of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir and bottle aged on yeast for a decade, this ET retains the freshness of youth. An assemblage of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir, the 1995 Brut Extended Tirage is disgorged on demand. Its complex nose of minerals, toast, yeast, and dried honey is followed by a medium-bodied character of green apples, almonds, hazelnuts (or filberts as they're known in Oregon), and flowers. This outstanding sparkler has a wonderful balance, expressiveness and length. -Wine Advocate A lovely follow-up to the outstanding '94, this well-integrated, perfectly aged brut is still crisp and showing hints of fresh apple, along with beeswax, citrus and gooseberry.

Vintage by Roederer Estate from North Coast, California. Blend: 53% Chardonnay, 47% Pinot Noir, 3.5% aged reserve L'Ermitage is Roederer Estate's special T?te de Cuvee, which has consistently been rated one of California's top sparkling wines since its debut in 1989. As in Champagne, L'Ermitage is made only in exceptional years, of pre-selected grapes that come from only the very best lots. Fine tiny bubbles and a long lasting mousse are the usual footprints of the L'Ermitage cuvee. This cuvee of the Millenium is fruity (apple, peach) with a delicate bread crust note. Mouth feel is on well balanced wine with baked apple flavors and a long and round creamy finish.

Vintage by Schramsberg from California. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs (white from white)is made from Chardonnay grapes in the classic Brut style. Small lots of malolactic and barrel-fermented wines are added to the wine for complexity. The wine is then aged on the yeast lees in bottle for three years prior to disgorgement. With its bright fruit and crisp characters, this sparkling wine will maintain its freshness, structure and refined finish for many years following its initial release. The relatively warm 2004 season delivered a generously flavored Blanc de Blancs with alluring aromas of green apple, citrus and tropical fruits. Rich, tart Bayview Avenue Carneros Chardonnay form the core, with components ranging from the Marin Coast to the Anderson Valley contributing further depth of fruit. Yeast-derived notes of fresh sourdough and toasted almond blend with hints of creme brulee. On the palate, this lively sprkler is ripe and crisp with tangy lemon zest early on, progressing to a clean, balanced finish. - Winemakers Hugh Davies and Craig Roemer

Vintage by Iron Horse from Russian River, California. This is Iron Horse's Blanc de Noirs, made from predominately Pinot Noir. It has a beautiful, pale-peach hue. Rich and creamy, like pure strawberries and cream, this is without doubt the most romantic of Iron Horse's Sparklings. A favorite of many, Iron Horse is probably best known for this cuvee. Marries perfectly with frisee salad with diced bacon and a Pinot Noir vinaigrette, Chinese chicken salad, scrambled eggs and caviar, rock shrimp and potato frittata, mushroom dishes such as a grilled Portobello sandwich or wild mushroom risotto, poached salmon - hot or cold, and chocolate dipped strawberries.

Vintage by Iron Horse from Sonoma County, California. The most elegant and sophisticated of the Iron Horse cuvees, made from 100% Chardonnay, this vintage is aged an average of six years on the yeast. It is ethereal - like drinking a cloud. It seems to effervesce away in your mouth and tastes like, among other flavors, a perfectly browned, lightly buttered slice of sourdough toast. Food Pairing A natural on Sunday morning with a beautiful, juicy melon. It is a sensational match with oysters, smoked salmon, caviar and pate. Ideal with roast chicken because it adds a clean, lemony flavor to the dish.

Vintage by Schramsberg from California. Inviting toasty lemon limes and tropical aromas combine with hints of vanilla spice. On the palate, it has zesty citrus and baked pineapple flavors that lead to a long, seamless finish. It is crisp, refreshing, showcasing sparkling Chardonnay at it best. - Winemakers Hugh Davies and Craig Roemer While this wine can be enjoyed by itself as an aperitif, it is perfect with fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche and grilled sea bass as well. It is also delicious with lemon chicken and Thai curries. Serve with aged Gouda or other hard cheeses and as a counterpoint to soft triple creams.

Vintage by Iron Horse from Russian River, California. Russian Cuvee commemorates the style of Sparkling that Iron Horse made for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings, which ended the Cold War. It is the sweetest of their cuvees - right on the edge of Brut level dry and hits a perfect balance point. The higher dosage doesn't come across as sweet, per se, but makes the wine richer and more floral. Russian Cuvee was originally designed as a toasting wine. It is exceptional with foie gras (for the same reason Sauterne goes with foie gras) as well as the sweet and sour tastes of many Asian dishes. It is surprising with vine-ripened tomatoes and when October rolls around, a fabulous cocktail is Russian Cuvee with a handful of pomegranate seeds bobbing in the glass. For dessert, almond cake with strawberries and whipped cream, or anything to do with ginger.