Champagne Roland Boulard & Filles Les Racines de Roland Brut NV

Like many small growers, the Boulards began by farming their vines and selling much of their fruit to the great Champagne houses. In 2010, as the region's trading rules shifted, they made the leap that defines them today: bottling under their own name as a récoltant manipulant (RM), or grower-producer. Across two generations, the house has raised three daughters and then three more – the three roses you'll see woven through their branding, and the reason for the "et Filles" ("and daughters") in the name. Along the way, they've lovingly restored their vineyards and added a few exceptional new sites. Deeply committed to the land, their 10 hectares are certified High Environmental Value level 3 (HVE-3), a rigorous distinction few estates earn. Their parcels reach from their home village of Cormicy and neighboring Hermonville to a recent, prized expansion into the Grand Cru of Mailly-Champagne.

Founded in the 1970s by Roland Boulard in Cormicy, the house has always carried a strong feminine spirit. Today it's led by the youngest of Roland's three daughters, Nathalie, alongside her husband, Benoit – and their own three daughters now work in the family business, with eldest Laurine having joined after training in viticulture and international trade. We've had the pleasure of visiting the entire family at their lovely winery, twice now, and we can say with a full heart that they are the salt of the earth and utterly devoted to their craft.

This bright, powerful Blanc de Noirs blends 60% Pinot Meunier from the Marne Valley with 40% Pinot Noir from the Massif de Saint-Thierry – 60% from the 2022 vintage, the remainder drawn from the family's reserves. Twenty months on the lees, a Brut dosage, and full malolactic fermentation give it the depth of Champagnes three times the price. It pours a delicate rose gold beneath a soft, creamy mousse, with aromas that move from rose petals and red plum to a fine mineral, iron-ore edge. The palate brims with red cherry, golden apple, black raspberry, and smoky flint, before a structured finish spiced with black peppercorn and savory herbs. Medium-weight, round, and endlessly long, it's as generous as it is graceful. It goes without saying, we're over the moon to welcome this fantastic wine to the shop.