Champagne Maxime Blin Nos Moments Carte Blanche NV

The Blin family has been crafting Champagne in the heart of the Marne department’s village of Trigny since the 1940s (home to the legendary Champagne Forest-Marié, too). Maxime’s grandparents, Juliette and Robert, sought a creative business venture and planted the first vines after World War II, later passing it on to their son and his wife, Gilles and Madeleine, who built the press and vat room. Then, it passed to Maxime and his wife Claire’s hands in 2005, who had both worked extensively in wine and brought a refreshed vision to the estate. Mostly, they aimed to bring sustainable practices to the vineyards and winemaking processes, both to protect the environment and to create the most expressive, sincerest wines possible.

They care for 40 plots across Trigny’s sandy terroir, tucked deep into the Saint-Thierry mountain range just a handful of miles from Reims. Their vineyards are planted to 40% Pinot Noir and 30% each Chardonnay and Meunier, and cover vast hillsides facing east and southeast for the ideal ripening. Their Carte Blanche cuvée (meaning “the complete freedom to act as one wishes”) takes a blend of 80% Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir, with 70% coming from 2018 and the rest from their reserve wines. As Meunier has always been the predominant grape for the estate, the wine is created to honor Maxime’s family’s history and legacy of winemaking.

“We are particularly proud of our winery. It’s our legacy and we want to continue building it around our core values: taking care of the planet, togetherness, goodness, new experiences and the local land.” – Claire and Maxime Blin

In the glass, Carte Blanche glows pale peach with a gentle yet persistent perlage. The nose opens with a flirtatious bouquet of honeysuckle, apricots, and clover honey, leading to a palate that’s dry, mineral, and mouth-coating. Expect whispers of iron ore and warm sourdough, flecks of stone fruit, and a dreamy orangesicle note. A salty river-rock finish ties it all together for something entirely crisp, elegant, and balanced. Normally $70, our price of under $40 makes this Champagne an irresistible invitation to celebrate the now!