Jean-Paul Hebrart took over the esteemed Champagne house of Marc Hebrart in 1997. His father, Marc, had been a member of the Club Trésors de Champagne since 1985 and made his own wines since long before that. The legacy of the Hebrart name is long revered in the Marne Valley, and we’ve been huge fans for years. Most of their holdings are in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, but they also have parcels in other villages such as Avize, Dizy, Louvois, and Mareuil-sur-Ay.

The Hebrarts harvest, press, and vinify each of their plots separately, ensuring that the terroir expression is thoughtfully woven across each of their various cuvées. They ferment in steel, though they sometimes use older barrels for Jean-Paul’s new cuvées. Of late, the family has turned to lower dosage levels to ensure the most pure expression of the fruit, and it has been a surefire hit to Champagne lovers across the globe (us included)!

Their 2019 Blanc de Noirs, made from organically farmed 100% Pinot Noir, is straight away incredible, full of crunchy quince, white cherry, and tangy green apple elements that soar alongside this great, vibrant acidity, and a finish that resounds with almond slivers and pastry dough. Noces de Craie translates to “wedding of chalk” – a nod to the minerally chalk and clay terroir where it’s grown that lends a pure, clean mineral character to the finish. A full 36 months on the lees and malolactic fermentation keep this creamy, but the brightness of the fruit maintains an exciting liveliness. The finishing 4 grams per liter of dosage amplifies without masking the terroir, and keeps this as boisterous and profound as any young vintage of Marc Hebrart I’ve yet tasted! This is a wonderful step up from their already delectable non-vintage cuvées, and if you’ve never tasted the Marc Hebrart wines before, then this double-94-point jewel will certainly be a treat!