Last Bubblers love, love, love our Gallimard cuvees, and we’ve shared as many as we can over the years. We get tons of compliments on our small-producer Champagne finds – in fact, that’s really one of the chief focal points behind the creation of Last Bubbles. We found that there were quite a few wine lovers like me, who specifically adored carefully-selected, artisanally-made bubbles with epic savings – you are my people, and I am thrilled to be your bubbly guide through the small, obscure, and completely exceptional grower producers of Champagne’s most deserving regions! Ask and ye shall receive! Gallimard is one of my favorite, go-to producers, located in the southern (and slightly warmer) part of Champagne, in Les Riceys. They’re devastatingly hard to find in most wine stops and shops in the USA – which is why I make it my duty to stop by their gorgeous 17th-century vaulted stone cellars anytime I make the trek to France. 

Run by father-and-son duo – Didier and Arnaud Gallimard, the sixth and seventh generation to lead the estate – the winery cultivates 12 hectares of mostly Pinot Noir grapes among the Kimmeridgian limestone soils that Les Riceys is so famous for. Another interesting thing about Les Riceys is that it’s the only place in Champagne that incorporates three location-specific AOC’s that overlap – namely, Les Ricey’s Champagne, Rosé de Riceys, and Coteaux Champenois. It is an incredibly special place, with the best people and most interesting wines. Using the fewest interventions possible to obtain ultimate freshness and allow the grapes to speak for themselves, Gallimard has a prominent focus on nature and sustainability in all that they do.

This cuvee’s cepage is 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Though Les Riceys is a Pinot-dominant village, a bit of Chardonnay and Meunier do grow in those parts, and Arnaud takes special care of training and trellising to ensure his Chardonnay thrives on the region's Kimmeridgian soils. It is hand disgorged and finished with only four grams per liter of dosage to keep its purity and freshness overflowing, while over five years on the lees gives this weight and substance that defies the incredible price point! Cuvee Vintage Millesime 2017 has intoxicating floral aromas, as well as toasty and citrusy sensations of brioche, lemon curd, lime zest, and orange blossoms – all interspersed with a steely, mineral edge and apricot and green apple flavors that just keep coming. Taste this and you’ll agree – under $40 for premium vintage Champagne simply doesn’t get better than this!