Remy Massin traces its roots on the hillsides of Ville sur Arce all the way back to 1865. Since 1974, this exceptional producer has been bottling their own cuvées – consistently crafting some of the very best bubbly to be found in any corner of the sparkling wine world. Closely matching the Kimmeridgian soils of nearby Chablis, their vineyards are predominantly planted to pinot noir, with about 20% dedicated to chardonnay and a scant 5% set aside for pinot blanc.

This 100% pinot noir hails from the Massin family holdings in the Côte des Bar, on the southern part of Champagne bordering nearby Chablis. Located in the sunny Champagne postcard village of Ville-sur-Arce, where pinot noir is king, Remy Massin has solidified itself over five generations as one of the top grower-producers in the Côte des Bar. Hard to imagine now, but just over 100 years ago, the powers-that-be tried to exclude this region from the classification of Champagne, which ended in violent riots and protests. Things were set right after World War I, and the Côte des Bar has been officially Champagne ever since.

This cuvée is aged for 24 months on the lees and finished with a 5.5 grams per liter dosage at disgorgement. Sweet perfumey white flowers, white peach, apricot, and marzipan abound, then turning full and creamy – with the perfect dash of toasted croissants. This is definitely all about the pure, clean, uber-fresh fruit. Beware… this is almost too easy to drink! Glasses of this empty at my house like a magic trick, but priced like this… there is always the opportunity to simply chill two (hey, even three) bottles at a time and pop corks to your heart’s content!