Petit & Bajan Blanc de Blancs Nuit Blanche Brut Grand Cru NV (Magnum 1.5L) When your mentor and neighbor is Anselme Selosse, your wines have a certain style… and weight, power, and intensity. We promised to get more from these folks… but a magnum of their Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs?! That’s how we do!

Richard and Véronique Petit’s marriage would eventually unite his family’s holdings in Avize – prime chardonnay lots in the Côte des Blancs passed down for generations – with Véronique’s family holdings in Verzenay, where pinot noir reigns supreme in the Grand Cru lands of Montagne de Reims. This was in 2008, and in the short time since, their reputation has grown considerably. It was Richard’s longtime neighbor, the legendary Anselme Selosse (who has run one of Champagne's foremost luxury houses, Jaques Selosse, since 1980), who served as their mentor as they transitioned from growers to grower-producers (a récoltant-manipulant). In the traditional Selosse style, they make Champagne from fully ripe grapes, producing full and hearty wines that excel with entrées. 

Like their mentor, these folks are often the last to pick their grapes, up to three weeks later than their neighbors. The grapes are fermented and aged as though they were to be bottled like White Burgundy, and then, then (!) undergoing the time-consuming ordeal to become world-class Champagne. As such, the heady, vinous “Baby Selosse” style is the result, making this an ample and powerful offering that competes in weight and structure with the heavy hitters of Champagne…houses that often fetch $400 and up for a magnum like this. At a mere $156 price tag – this is a relative steal – and as limited as you might expect!

After all, the entire holdings of Richard and Véronique amount to less than seven acres – with only two acres dedicated to chardonnay – making this an exceptionally small production. The wine is aged for three years on the lees before an Extra Brut level dosage of 3g/liter at disgorgement (even though labeled as Brut, Richard and Véronique never really go above Extra Brut levels).

The wine is gorgeously aromatic, loaded with lemon blossoms, lemon meringue, and hints of chervil. More citrus follows on the palate as pomelo and orange notes counterbalance rich and luscious notes reminiscent of a Parisian bakery. There is real verve and depth to this wine, and one that I imagine will only get better over time… but  rather tempting to pop in the here and now! So get two at least… one for now and one for later!