I was lucky enough to be invited by Garance Thienot to the Plumed Horse in Saratoga for an incredible Champagne dinner. I hadn't been to this restaurant in more than a decade and the story about it being the biggest fine dining remodel in all of Silicon Valley must be true- it was amazing inside. We started the dinner off with this rich, full bodied, toasty Champagne that still had the snap to make a great aperitif. What a tasty wine!

This uber-small producer has managed to produce a fine little Brut at a very affordable price. It is composed of 45% chardonnay, 35% pinot noir and 20% pinot meunier with up to 40 reserve wines used in the blend. It has a bright cherry nose with nice citrus notes. On the palate, rich and round and fairly dense with weighty red fruits. Nicely balanced with good acidity.

Light and crisp on the nose and moving on to an absolutely wonderful zesty palate of citrusy/tangerine like fruit - it has a wonderful mousse and a great finish. Drink like a movie star! This was the Champagne for the 2013 Oscars.