For nearly 500 years, the Philipponnat family has tended vines in Champagne. They’ve supplied the courts of Kings and Queens and lay claim to a number of firsts in the region – from indicating the primary vintages used in non-vintage blends, to including dosage levels and disgorgement dates on their back label, and even making Champagne’s very first single, named vineyard Champagne offering with their revered Clos des Goisse bottling nearly a century ago. Today, the estate is run by Charles Philipponnat – the latest in the long-enduring and historic Champagne family. He took over in 1999, and Philipponnat has enjoyed perhaps its most successful era to date under his supervision. His father was the revered chef de caves at Moët from 1949 to 1977 – crafting the iconic 1961 Dom Pérignon, among others, during his tenure there. You could argue that great Champagne is simply in his blood, and after one sip of this – you’ll broker no argument from me!

The team at Philipponnat calls this an “outstanding demonstration of Philipponnat’s consummate expertise in blending and vinifying Pinot Noir,” using all first-press juice from entirely Premier and Grand Cru plots in the Montagne de Reims and their own vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Ay and Avenay. 2018 was a truly exceptional vintage for Champagne – and specifically so for Pinot Noir, which ripened perfectly due to a bone-dry summer and palatable growing conditions all year long.

Aged for 6 years on the lees, and then finished with an Extra Brut level dosage of 4.5 grams per liter – this compelling wine seamlessly balances opulence with elegance. Wild strawberries and lilacs pull you into the glass, where black currants and ripe raspberries showcase the rich Pinot Noir fruit, and accents of marcona almond, orange zest, yellow peach, and fresh mint build layers of complexity and mouthfeel. The finish is mouthwatering and lingering – soft, dry, and infused with a searing, chalky minerality that hangs on beautifully. This is as classy and elegant as you’ll find in any 2018 vintage Blanc de Noirs – especially from any of the large Maisons. I scooped up a few myself and can’t wait to pop them open in due time – sooner rather than later, hopefully! You’ll be thrilled to follow suit and bring home one or two of these yourself – and be warned, these will move fast!