JJB: $74.94 *
The Philipponnat family may have been growing grapes in Champagne for 500 years, and making Champagne for over 100, but it is the last 20 years that has really cemented their reputation as one of the best small producers in the region. Centered in the Montagne de Reims, Pinot Noir is their speciality, and Philipponnat’s vintage Blanc de Noirs is a stunningly concentrated, age-worthy Champagne that “sums up the richness possible from the grape” (Wine Enthusiast).
Philipponnat was the very first producer to release a single vineyard Champagne (back in 1935 no less), and their vineyard-first approach has always yielded superlative results. Charles Philipponnat is the current generation at the helm, responsible for “initiating a remarkable renaissance that continues to this day” (Wine Advocate). Everything at Philipponnat is done by hand, no tractors or mechanical harvesters allowed in the vineyard, and they use only first press juice for their cuvees. The Blanc de Noirs is everything we love about Philipponnat, and fans of powerful, age-worthy Champagne shouldn’t hesitate!
95 points, Wine Enthusiast: "This producer's location and vineyards on the Montagne de Reims mean it is very much a Pinot Noir house. Full and concentrated, this Champagne sums up the richness possible from the grape. It is dry, textured and ready to age further."
*Offer publication date March 2, 2022. Pricing and availability subject to change.