This family has a rich history in Ambonnay as the second-oldest Champagne producer in the area – with their grape-growing prowess dating back to the early 1600s. In fact, the Déthunes tout an unbroken family line of winemakers starting in 1610 (fun trivia fact: it was the same year Galileo discovered Jupiter’s three moons) – and today, Pierre Déthune focuses on modern winemaking while still honoring times past. The house sits in the pristine village of Ambonnay, one of just 17 villages classified as Grand Cru in all of Champagne, and Pierre and Sophie Déthune have created a name for themselves by developing powerful yet graceful wines, such as today’s Blanc de Noirs.

This wine is made of 100% pinot noir and is vinified in a combination of 33% 205-liter Champagne oak barrels and 33% 34-hl oak turns, while 34% is reserve wine from a period of 40 different years, all vinified in oak tuns. If that sounds like a majestic, unheard-of vinification process, you’d be right – the unimaginable complexity and brilliant levels of nuance certainly show. Another secret? This blend has a huge portion of Ambonnay’s most esteemed fruit from the pinot noir treasure trove of Les Crayeres, one of the most celebrated vineyards in the region! Its fruit lends a delicately chalky and just-right mineral bite that is the signature of this vineyard’s grapes – contributing to a precise tension that perfects the finish.

After maturing for three years on the lees and finishing with a 5 gram-per-liter dosage (a lower dosage than previous iterations, enhancing the freshness and energy without taking from the fresh orchard fruit characters), it opens with aromas of bright key lime, grapefruits, shortbread, and a minerally, almost tonic water-like aroma, with whispers of delicate croissant crust and a pinky’s touch of vanilla toast. The rich notes and sensual texture carry over to the palate, along with a saline quality akin to taking a deep breath of misty, fresh sea air. Balanced, forward, and complex as can be, with a generous personality and spectacularly long finish – this Déthune could easily go for well over $100, yet we nabbed some for less than $70. It feels almost too good to be true, and with complimentary shipping for 3-or-more bottles, it may as well be. Do what you must to make this beauty yours!