90 POINTS ~ Wine Enthusiast DOUBLE GOLD & GOLD MEDALS ~ San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition GOLD + 92-94 POINTS ~ 2021 & 2020 International Womenās Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
Citrus, pear, and floral aromas with a hint of yeast. The fine mousse brings forth the light citrus, smooth and round in the mouth. The finish is round, with a note of grapefruit. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Specs
Varietal: Blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
In 2007, Wine industry veterans Rebecca Faust and Bruce Lundquist set out to establish Rack & Riddle Custom Wine Services. They envisioned a leading-edge facility using premium vineyards to produce wine in the heart of the Northern California Wine Country.
With a blend of traditional methods along with the best of new technology, Rack & Riddle is dedicated to sustainable farming practices, allowing nature to bring out the unique attributes of every wine grape that passes through our facility.
Putting the extra care, labor, and expense into their process would result in superior sparkling wines. They knew it would set them apart.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
89 Points. This well-knit-together dry brut shows a pale copper-amber color, good but subtle raspberry and cherry flavors and a nicely crisp texture. JG 4/1/22
a recent review from the Enthusiast on the TJās version as long as it was mentioned above:
87 Points. Best Buy. A light brassy color, fresh apple and white-cherry flavors and a frothy texture make this light-bodied wine soft and appealing. JG 12/1/22
My apologies for being tardy. Long story into short sad story and then to review. Skip this next paragraph if you want to jump right in.
I think Alice and Winedavid49 know about my fondness of champagne so I was excited to receive the wine and planned a Sat/Sun tasting for the Monday sale. The weekend did not go as planned. Friday afternoon we received bad news and it went downhill from there. No trip to TJs to pick up a comparison bottle. We ended up having to lay our grand dog down yesterday after two days of driving several hours back and forth to the daughterās house to make trips to the vet, wait for the news, schedule the home vet, allow her time alone with the fur baby, and then be there for support and final goodbyes yesterday afternoon. Napoleon said, āin victory you deserve champagne. In defeat, you need it.ā This was complete defeat so bubbles were in order.
As to not shirk my rat duties, finally popped the bottle when we returned home and the last of the tissue boxes had been exhausted. Upon pop and pour, the froth was overwhelming. Let it rest five minutes to settle. Hints of green apple and pear on the nose. Flavors mimicked the nose, but also encountered a slightly bitter finish; possibly grapefruit. Somewhat austere. Let it sit for approx 30-40 minutes taking occasional sips. Opened up nicely after the 50 minute mark. Bubbles died down and were pleasant. Flavors rounded out and my mouth was filled with juicy citrus notes. The fruit came alive and the extra dosage was not missed. Corked, placed in fridge and off to bed as the weekend was overwhelming.
This morning, poured another small glass. Not many bubbles, but the acidity/fruit balance is lovely. I prefer a small amount of dosage vs brut nature. This is nicely balanced. For me, better on day two as I think this needs time to open and develop. Checked to see if there was a bottle of TJs brut, but the only bottle I found was the Platinum reserve which was designated as Sonoma County vs North Coast. Popped to compare. The TJs was slightly darker, more pear on the nose with more of the grapefruit finish. I would venture in a few hours this will also round out.
If you enjoy Gruet or TJs, I venture to say youāll enjoy this as well. Nice bubbles to have on hand for large gatherings, brunches, or when you just want something extra without the seriousness of French Champagne. Mimosas would be nice for pop and serve within the first hour. After that, this can stand alone. Thanks to everyone at WCC and Rack & Riddle. Cheers.
When it comes to fizzy wines, my usual go tos are the Gruets from here, Spago Prosecco frizzante, and similar. Off dry types, mostly. Chase, my roommate, tends to like his less sweet than I do (Iām also happy with a good sweet sparkling wine, including moscatos, while he generally isnāt a fan).
Popped it in the wine fridge overnight to have with brunch- An apple gratain and bacon. It had a nice pop to it on opening, but didnāt overflow (though some of that is probably opening technique related. I rarely have that problem when opening it under a cloth gently.)
I often find bruts a bit one dimensional and harsh. Not this one. It smells like a sweet/tart fruit, like pineapple and strawberry. Itās bright, but not overly acidic. Thereās a nicely rounded feeling to it, a depth I donāt usually find in bruts. Itās not sweet, at all, but thereās an inviting fruit vibe to it that makes me want more of it. Chase normally dislikes anything that hints of sweet in his fizzy, but was also impressed by this one. He said it was light and balanced, and not overly dry. It got a bit more acidic as it sat for a bit, as fizzy wines do, but never edging into sour territory, which is nice. None was leftover to try again the second day, but really, at this price point, just open a second bottle! Iām definitely grabbing us a case for brunching.
Minor apologies for it being in a casemates glass, but thatās how we usually drink fizzy wine around here. Champagne flutes and fine motor issues are just a recipe for broken glasses.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
NV Rack & Riddle North Coast Brut - $20 = 11.11%
Bought a mixed 4-pack from the old site a decade ago and these are even less expensive albeit Brut only. We can always use solid, inexpensive sparklers! Willing to share up to half of them with the usual suspects.
I have Rack and Riddle champagnise base wines for me and custom crush clients. I tasted this wine while there at a blending session. It is really good. They gave me a bottle and Jana and I took on a recent trip to Puerto Rico and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The UPS adventures continue. In the month prior to Christmas I was fortunate to have UPS drop wine on my porch without me having to be home. I guess that changed once we got past Christmas. Wifey and I were out of town for a few days and found a couple door tags upon return. I decided to bite the bullet and pay for a year of UPS āMy Choiceā. After paying the $20, I chose the option to redirect the package but it would only let me āhold for pickupā at the UPS hub about 45 minutes away from me.
After sitting for several days over the New Year holiday, the tracking finally showed āHeld for pickup as requestedā, so I hopped on the turnpike after work to go get the box. But when I got there, they couldnāt find it. After they looked unsuccessfully for 30 minutes, they told me that it was there but must be āon the beltsā. They said they would put an āinterceptā on the package and have someone take it to my house so that I didnāt have to come back again. They asked if it would be ok to come over between 9 and 10 pm. I said that would be fine and went home to wait.
Got home close to 7 (almost 2 hours later than if I had not driven to UPS) and turned on my driveway lights. Did not leave the living room all night and kept driveway lights on until 1030 but nobody showed up. Now my tracking info says that it will be updated when they determine a delivery date, wtf?
I am not wasting another 2 hours attempting to get this package. It will probably be returned to @winedavid49 as undeliverable. Maybe just as well, since Trader Joeās has the same stuff under their own label for $10/bottle right now.
At least part of the case refund will pay for my ill advised purchase of a $20 UPS MyChoice subscription. I hate Brown.
@chipgreen I had to go through quite the rigmarole to get a labrat bottle a month or two ago. Their version of customer service doesnāt really acknowledge customers or service.
@klezman
They subsequently ended up having it listed as out for delivery and held for pickup at the same time. Brilliant!
They tried to deliver it again and I was at work but then I was home the entire next day and they did not show up. Got a call from the hub day after that - it was āback here againā and asked if I had requested another change. Told them no, requested a hold on 12/31 and everything after that was their doing. Asked what I wanted them to do with it, I said either drop it on my porch or send it back.
NV Rack & Riddle North Coast Brut
90 POINTS ~ Wine Enthusiast
DOUBLE GOLD & GOLD MEDALS ~ San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
GOLD + 92-94 POINTS ~ 2021 & 2020 International Womenās Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
Specs
Whatās Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$240.00/Case for 12x NV Rack & Riddle North Coast Brut at Rack & Riddle
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 26 - Wednesday, Dec 28
NV Rack & Riddle North Coast Brut
6 bottles for $89.99 $15/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
I wonder how this compares to the Trader Joeās Brut, since they make that as well.
@klezman I had the same thought.
The TJs version is also designated North Coast Brut.
@CorTot @klezman similar pricing?
@klezman @rjquillin itās been $10 at TJs forever, same with the Brut rose
@CorTot @rjquillin TJās also has a reserve Brut that was either $15 or $20.
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin I saw the reserve for $15 on a recent visit to TJās.
The most recent Wine Enthusiast review:
89 Points. This well-knit-together dry brut shows a pale copper-amber color, good but subtle raspberry and cherry flavors and a nicely crisp texture. JG 4/1/22
a recent review from the Enthusiast on the TJās version as long as it was mentioned above:
87 Points. Best Buy. A light brassy color, fresh apple and white-cherry flavors and a frothy texture make this light-bodied wine soft and appealing. JG 12/1/22
fwiw
My apologies for being tardy. Long story into short sad story and then to review. Skip this next paragraph if you want to jump right in.
I think Alice and Winedavid49 know about my fondness of champagne so I was excited to receive the wine and planned a Sat/Sun tasting for the Monday sale. The weekend did not go as planned. Friday afternoon we received bad news and it went downhill from there. No trip to TJs to pick up a comparison bottle. We ended up having to lay our grand dog down yesterday after two days of driving several hours back and forth to the daughterās house to make trips to the vet, wait for the news, schedule the home vet, allow her time alone with the fur baby, and then be there for support and final goodbyes yesterday afternoon. Napoleon said, āin victory you deserve champagne. In defeat, you need it.ā This was complete defeat so bubbles were in order.
As to not shirk my rat duties, finally popped the bottle when we returned home and the last of the tissue boxes had been exhausted. Upon pop and pour, the froth was overwhelming. Let it rest five minutes to settle. Hints of green apple and pear on the nose. Flavors mimicked the nose, but also encountered a slightly bitter finish; possibly grapefruit. Somewhat austere. Let it sit for approx 30-40 minutes taking occasional sips. Opened up nicely after the 50 minute mark. Bubbles died down and were pleasant. Flavors rounded out and my mouth was filled with juicy citrus notes. The fruit came alive and the extra dosage was not missed. Corked, placed in fridge and off to bed as the weekend was overwhelming.
This morning, poured another small glass. Not many bubbles, but the acidity/fruit balance is lovely. I prefer a small amount of dosage vs brut nature. This is nicely balanced. For me, better on day two as I think this needs time to open and develop. Checked to see if there was a bottle of TJs brut, but the only bottle I found was the Platinum reserve which was designated as Sonoma County vs North Coast. Popped to compare. The TJs was slightly darker, more pear on the nose with more of the grapefruit finish. I would venture in a few hours this will also round out.
If you enjoy Gruet or TJs, I venture to say youāll enjoy this as well. Nice bubbles to have on hand for large gatherings, brunches, or when you just want something extra without the seriousness of French Champagne. Mimosas would be nice for pop and serve within the first hour. After that, this can stand alone. Thanks to everyone at WCC and Rack & Riddle. Cheers.
@chefjess Sorry to hear about the pup. Thanks for soldiering on with the rattage.
@chefjess
Awww, Iām sorry for you and your daughterās loss. Itās never easy saying goodbye to furry family members.
@chefjess sending hugs to you and your family.
Good morning all! Lab rat reporting in!
When it comes to fizzy wines, my usual go tos are the Gruets from here, Spago Prosecco frizzante, and similar. Off dry types, mostly. Chase, my roommate, tends to like his less sweet than I do (Iām also happy with a good sweet sparkling wine, including moscatos, while he generally isnāt a fan).
Popped it in the wine fridge overnight to have with brunch- An apple gratain and bacon. It had a nice pop to it on opening, but didnāt overflow (though some of that is probably opening technique related. I rarely have that problem when opening it under a cloth gently.)
I often find bruts a bit one dimensional and harsh. Not this one. It smells like a sweet/tart fruit, like pineapple and strawberry. Itās bright, but not overly acidic. Thereās a nicely rounded feeling to it, a depth I donāt usually find in bruts. Itās not sweet, at all, but thereās an inviting fruit vibe to it that makes me want more of it. Chase normally dislikes anything that hints of sweet in his fizzy, but was also impressed by this one. He said it was light and balanced, and not overly dry. It got a bit more acidic as it sat for a bit, as fizzy wines do, but never edging into sour territory, which is nice. None was leftover to try again the second day, but really, at this price point, just open a second bottle! Iām definitely grabbing us a case for brunching.
Minor apologies for it being in a casemates glass, but thatās how we usually drink fizzy wine around here. Champagne flutes and fine motor issues are just a recipe for broken glasses.
Thanks for the delicious bottle!
/giphy bountiful-tranquil-manger
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
NV Rack & Riddle North Coast Brut - $20 = 11.11%
/giphy nice-radiant-angels
Bought a mixed 4-pack from the old site a decade ago and these are even less expensive albeit Brut only. We can always use solid, inexpensive sparklers! Willing to share up to half of them with the usual suspects.
I have Rack and Riddle champagnise base wines for me and custom crush clients. I tasted this wine while there at a blending session. It is really good. They gave me a bottle and Jana and I took on a recent trip to Puerto Rico and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The UPS adventures continue. In the month prior to Christmas I was fortunate to have UPS drop wine on my porch without me having to be home. I guess that changed once we got past Christmas. Wifey and I were out of town for a few days and found a couple door tags upon return. I decided to bite the bullet and pay for a year of UPS āMy Choiceā. After paying the $20, I chose the option to redirect the package but it would only let me āhold for pickupā at the UPS hub about 45 minutes away from me.
After sitting for several days over the New Year holiday, the tracking finally showed āHeld for pickup as requestedā, so I hopped on the turnpike after work to go get the box. But when I got there, they couldnāt find it. After they looked unsuccessfully for 30 minutes, they told me that it was there but must be āon the beltsā. They said they would put an āinterceptā on the package and have someone take it to my house so that I didnāt have to come back again. They asked if it would be ok to come over between 9 and 10 pm. I said that would be fine and went home to wait.
Got home close to 7 (almost 2 hours later than if I had not driven to UPS) and turned on my driveway lights. Did not leave the living room all night and kept driveway lights on until 1030 but nobody showed up. Now my tracking info says that it will be updated when they determine a delivery date, wtf?
I am not wasting another 2 hours attempting to get this package. It will probably be returned to @winedavid49 as undeliverable. Maybe just as well, since Trader Joeās has the same stuff under their own label for $10/bottle right now.
At least part of the case refund will pay for my ill advised purchase of a $20 UPS MyChoice subscription. I hate Brown.
@chipgreen I had to go through quite the rigmarole to get a labrat bottle a month or two ago. Their version of customer service doesnāt really acknowledge customers or service.
@klezman
Aināt that the truthā¦ tracking now shows 2 entries for today.
Then, an hour laterā¦
Mmmkay.
Casemates membership re-canceled.
@klezman
They subsequently ended up having it listed as out for delivery and held for pickup at the same time. Brilliant!
They tried to deliver it again and I was at work but then I was home the entire next day and they did not show up. Got a call from the hub day after that - it was āback here againā and asked if I had requested another change. Told them no, requested a hold on 12/31 and everything after that was their doing. Asked what I wanted them to do with it, I said either drop it on my porch or send it back.
They decided to send it back. (Shrug)