Richard Petit and Véronique Bajan’s marriage would eventually unite Richard’s family holdings in Avize – prime chardonnay lots in the Côte des Blancs passed down for generations – with Véronique’s family holdings in Verzenay, where pinot noir reigns supreme in the Grand Cru lands of Montagne de Reims. Richard’s longtime neighbor, the legendary Anselme Selosse (who has run one of Champagne's preeminent houses, Jaques Selosse, since 1980), served as Richard and Veronique’s mentor as they transitioned from growers to grower-producers (a récoltant-manipulant). In keeping with Selosse’s philosophy, they make Champagne from fully ripe grapes, producing full and hearty wines that have a weight and vinosity to them, without sacrificing freshness and verve.

The entire holdings of Richard and Véronique amount to less than seven acres – with only two acres dedicated to chardonnay – making this an exceptionally small production. Gorgeously aromatic, this wine is loaded with lemon blossoms and acacia flowers, lemon meringue, and hints of chervil. More citrus follows on the palate as pomelo and orange notes counterbalance rich and luscious notes reminiscent of a Parisian bakery. Brioche, toasted almonds, browned butter…just sumptuous to the last. There is real verve and depth to this wine, and one that I imagine will only get better over time…but rather tempting to pop in the here and now!

Regardless of the vintage, these folks are often the last to pick their grapes, up to three weeks later than their neighbors. The grapes are fermented and aged as though they were to be bottled like White Burgundy, sometimes spending up to two years in barrel before bottling, before a minimum of three years on the lees before becoming world-class Champagne. An Extra Brut dosage of 3g/liter at disgorgement (even though labeled as Brut, Richard and Véronique never really go above Extra Brut levels) completes the winemaking process, but the wines are held for an additional 30 months prior to release. That’s a lot of investment into each bottle, and I’d love to be a fly on the wall for the back and forth between their accountant about the cost and benefit of such a course. But, as ever, the results speak for themselves – as this is truly one of the most exceptional Champagnes under $75 to be had anywhere. We don’t have enough, and their prices are certainly on the rise – so this is a fantastic chance to get some now!