Bertrand Brigandat made his first vintage of Champagne from his family’s vines in the Côte de Bars in 1993; before, the family had sold their production to large houses, mostly Laurent Perrier. Since taking over as winemaker, Bertrand has converted all vineyard work to organic with biodynamic and homeopathic practices. He farms 8.22 hectares of vines mostly in the villages of Channes and Buxeuil, with a few small parcels of Pinot Noir in Ricey. In the cellar, he uses natural yeasts for the first fermentation which occurs mostly in enamel-lined steel tanks, with half the Chardonnay fermented in neutral barrels. The wines spend 8-10 weeks on fine lees before racking and bottling for secondary fermentation. The wines are aged sur latte for a minimum of three years and as many as seven depending on the cuvée and character of the base wines. To increase transparency and character, Bertrand has reduced the use of sulfur at all stages of winemaking.

The Brigandat Blanc de Noirs Brut is composed of 100% Pinot Noir from the villages of Les Riceys, Channes and Buxeuil. The wine sits in the glass a brilliant straw color lightly tinged with pale green and displays a persistent stream of tiny bubbles rising to the surface. Aromas of citrus and tree fruits mingle with notes of brioche, toasted almonds and chalk. The palate possesses a creamy texture that elevates the green apple, pear and lemon fruit flavors along its fine limestone backbone, leading to an elegant finish freshened by vibrant acidity. A delicious way to start the evening, but try pairing with oysters served with a pear mignonette or fried flounder with lemon dill aioli.