Champagne Christophe Dechannes Cuvée Spéciale Brut Les Riceys NV

This estate is headed up by Laura Dechannes of the highly respected Dechannes family – who just so happens to be Arnaud Gallimard's wife. She serves as assistant winemaker under her father, Christophe, while also wearing the myriad hats of sales rep, admin, and generally cool-as-all-get-out host with the most. For far too long, the Côte des Bar area of the Aube played second fiddle to the rest of Champagne, and resilient producers like the Gallimard and Dechannes families have helped thrust it into the spotlight, crafting bubbly as good as any mainstay in the region. They're known for their stellar lineup and their leadership in the Côte des Bar, bringing attention to the fabulous yet under-the-radar village of Les Riceys – revered for its Pinot Noir, with a smattering of Meunier and Chardonnay rounding out complex, classic, delicious Champagne across the village.

Located in the Aube, Les Riceys is the most southerly of Champagne's growing districts – so far south it just about meets up with Burgundy, and it even shares Burgundy's soil type: Kimmeridgian, a mixture of limestone, clay, and marine fossils. For years the Côte des Bar fought (quite literally) for inclusion in Champagne's territories, and in 1927 it got its wish, becoming the fifth growing district after the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, and Côte de Sézanne. It's also the largest winemaking village in all of Champagne, comprising three formerly fortified villages: Les Ricey-Bas, Les Riceys-Haut, and Les Riceys-Haute-Rive. And yet, even as the largest area in Champagne, Grower Champagnes from here remain rather rare.

This Cuvée Spéciale is 70% Pinot Noir, with 30% Chardonnay lending a remarkable air of delicacy and brightness. And that brightness is exactly what shines in the glass. It pours a light lemon-gold, as jasmine and hawthorn blossom unfold into lemon meringue, Bosc pear, and a lick of candied ginger, with a little zip of lemon-lime sparkling water. The palate is so very elegant, refined, and ethereal – composed and airy from start to finish. The acidity is absolutely there, but it's never in-your-face or overpowering, and instead holds everything in beautiful tension. The finish lingers and lingers, all flowers and chalky gravel, leaving you reaching for the next sip.

This is precisely the kind of grace-over-force Champagne we love pouring for friends, and at $49 (a full $21 under its $70 retail), it delivers generously. Like everything we've poured from this family, it won't last long – I'd grab a 6-pack while it's here, or at least 3 bottles for free shipping!