Domaine Paul Berthelot dates back to the 1940s, in the village of Dizy, near Epernay. Five generations have followed in the traditions laid down by founder Emile Berthelot – producing a small portfolio that has delighted us for years. The domaine has 16 hectares spread across three villages: Dizy and Avenay – both classified Premier Cru – as well as Aÿ, which is classified Grand Cru. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reign supreme among their plantings, with smaller amounts of Pinot Meunier to round out their cuvées, too.

This family business is serious about their winemaking, and serious about their viticulture – with vineyards that have been certified with High Environmental Value (HEV) since 2012. They make only a few cuvées so as to not take attention away from the quality of their wines – and this Cuvée de Réserve NV is an obvious choice for a quaffable and delightful anytime sipper. A below-$40 price tag grants this pedigreed and luscious bottling house Champagne status – which we know you’ll soon agree with! A blend of 40% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Chardonnay harvested mostly in 2018 and sourced from vineyards in Montagne de Reims and

Vallée de la Marne builds out the cépage, plus a splash of the estate’s reserve wines for additional toasty richness and complexity.

2018, you may know, was one of the most exceptional vintages in recent history, developing optimally ripe, extremely well-balanced grapes and, thus, delectable Champagnes! This Champagne pours deeply golden – the rich hue a sign of its prominent Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier makeup – with a soft and buoyant entry that offers bushels of apples and pears, with toasted hazelnuts, Valencia oranges, and a dry, chalky finish that seems to balance a single, pyramid-shaped crystal of fleur de sel on the tip of your tongue. This is round, robust, and very, very friendly, so be careful – you just might finish the entire bottle before you know it! Save yourself the shipping fees and just go ahead and grab at least four of these…I’m personally going for a six-pack!