NV Eric Maitre Blanc de Noirs Brut Tradition Champagne 750 ml

It all came down to timing.

We just happened to be in New York City. The very same day, our importer friend—a trusted purveyor to many MICHELIN-starred eateries in New York—had just returned from Europe with a special sample bottle of Champagne.

The moment we tasted it, we knew it was our best chance to grab this wine. If we hesitated, some of New York's hottest restaurants would snatch up the allocation within days.

This exquisite Blanc de Noirs was one of our biggest Champagne discoveries that year, and it's been a hit ever since. Hailing from the Champagne sweet spot of Celles-sur-Ource, it's 100% Pinot Noir grown on 40-year-old vines, and it soars from the glass: Notes of apples, pears, brioche, and chalk precede a laser-like precision on the palate. 

In Celles-sur-Ource, Pinot Noir is king. The Maître brand dates from 1869, but Eric took the reins in the late 1980s and launched his own brand in 1995. Today, he is assisted in this modest 20-acre enterprise by his wife Daniella and their two sons, and their meticulous farming and winemaking is evident in the clean, pure, focused style of the wine.