Domaine Gilles & Romain Collet Cremant de Bourgogne NV

It’s safe to say that we got our hands on as much of this as we possibly could. We’re talking world-class Chablis, traditionally crafted by the young superstar that is Romain Collet, alongside his father and notorious one-man-show, Gilles. Well, let’s just say it tops the list of our all-time favorite wines.

We got our confirmation when our Bubbles team visited their estate a while back, where we first tasted this epic bottling. Made in the Méthode Champenoise, estate grown, and extended by nine months this time around to a full two years on the lees, with pristine Chardonnay fruit from a series of exceptional lieu dits in the flinty, chalky, pure electric soils of Chablis? Does it get any better than that? This is for the Bubbles Monsters who appreciate super cool, extra rare, and eminently quaffable Crémant de Bourgogne that will surprise and delight you in all sorts of ways.

Fermented in stainless steel, then aged for 24 months in the bottle on the lees, and finished with a Brut-level six grams/liter dosage – it drinks exactly like you think it would: top-notch flinty, zippy Chardonnay with delicate, fine bubbles adding even more tension and liveliness. Supremely tantalizing, with loads of lemony, green apple-y, chalky, tongue-twisting deliciousness. But then there’s this nutty hazelnut skin aspect, and a rich, spiced berry note – mulberries, cranberries, orange zest and clove. Plus, the bright acidity of Chablis keeps it crisp, dry, and angular. If you ask us, fried chicken is the winning pairing here, but sprinkle it with a little rosemary salt to make it extra fancy. For only $27, this will absolutely outperform plenty of $50-plus Champagnes, no contest. Best served in a wide Burgundy bowl, and really, truly delicious with food. With 95 points, this is a Crémant to acquire in great quantities, folks!