Today, we’ve got two spellbinding Champagnes from the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, home to some of Champagne’s finest Pinot Noir. But before Champagne guru Mark Osburn swoops in this afternoon, let me first wave the flag for Champagne Barnaut, a personal-favorite grower-producer whose Blanc de Noirs is easily one of the category’s very best, especially when price is factored in. 

Edmond Barnaut was one of the early pioneers of the grower Champagne movement, first establishing his brand in 1874, and the dimensions of the estate haven’t changed much since then: Barnaut, now under the direction of Philippe Secondé, produces well under 10,000 cases of wine annually, and while everything Secondé makes is impeccable, this Blanc de Noirs has developed an outsized reputation. I can think of no better description of it than the one provided by Barnaut’s US importer, who describes it as the stylistic opposite of the famously hefty Blanc de Noirs made by Secondé’s friend and contemporary, Francis Egly. Barnaut showcases the perfumed and lithe structure of Bouzy Pinot Noir, and does it at an incredibly fair price. Ask anyone: This is best-in-class wine!

Secondé represents the fifth generation of Barnaut descendants to helm this small and somewhat under-the-radar estate, which, among other things, has invested heavily in sustainable farming practices in its vineyards. This includes the use of light surface plowing to control weeds (rather than herbicides), using organic composts, and keeping fungicide applications to an absolute minimum. Overall, they farm 11 hectares of vineyards, most of which are in Grand Cru Bouzy; the remainder are in the neighboring Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay (Egly-Ouriet country) and Louvois. Pinot Noir represents about 80% of the estate’s production, much of it sourced from old vines, including some topping the 100-year mark.

In short, if you haven’t yet experienced a Barnaut Champagne, you’ve been missing out on some impeccable, hand-crafted sparklers offering stupendous value. This Blanc de Noirs, of which a mere 1,650 cases are produced annually, consists of 100% Grand Cru Bouzy Pinot Noir from vines averaging 35 years of age. After a tank fermentation, the resulting base wine is equally blended with a perpetual reserve that has been maintained by the family for five generations. This reserve is essentially a holding/blending tank for older vintages that gets “refreshed” each year; its purpose is to add deeper complexities and textures to the final wine. Once the wine is transferred into bottle, it spends no less than 24 months maturing on its fine lees before disgorgement and a modest dosage of six grams/liter.

As noted above, the calling card of the Barnaut Blanc de Noirs is finesse. This is finely chiseled style of Champagne with beautiful rose and white cherry notes on the nose and a delicate kiss of crushed chalk and warm spice on the palate. Whereas some Blanc de Noirs wines skew a little heavier and more darkly fruited, this one dances across the palate in a sleek, silky style. The finish is long, mouth-watering, aromatic, and the right amount of savory to pair with food—from appetizers to main courses. Serve it in all-purpose stems at 45-50 degrees with some smoked salmon on blini. Killer style at a reasonable price! Enjoy!