2012 Pierre Morlet Millesime Premier Cru Brut Champagne 750 ml

It may be just a few miles from Wine Access HQ, but going to The French Laundry is an extremely rare treat for us. So when we get the chance to dine at Thomas Keller’s three-star icon, we start the night off with vintage Champagne. 

We consider the 2012 Millésime Brut Premier Cru from Champagne Pierre Morlet et Fils to be the steal of the cellar. It’s one we’ve long wanted to partake of at home, but The French Laundry and Press restaurant are THE ONLY places we’ve been able to find it locally.

Hoarded by sommeliers who pair it with tasting menus in MICHELIN-starred restaurants around the country, we nailed down 240 bottles for Wine Access members. 

The Morlet name is monumental on this side of the Atlantic, mainly because of Luc Morlet’s 100-point Napa Valley Cabernets and 100-point Sonoma Coast whites. However, the Morlets have been cultivating vines in Champagne since the mid-1800s.

Auguste Morlet, Luc’s great-great grandfather, planted the family’s first vineyard. Auguste’s son Gaston created the Champagne Pierre Morlet label, naming it after his only child. Pierre then made it his mission to establish high-quality vineyards in the center of the Champagne region.

When Luc took over, he reinstated his grandfather's practice of partially aging the wines in wooden demi-muids. Today, Luc’s brother Paulin oversees the vineyards and winemaking, and Champagne Pierre Morlet et Fils enjoys a reputation that rivals the best in one of the world’s marquee regions.

This is a Champagne fit for the greatest restaurants in the world—and that’s where most will have to go to get it. But Wine Access members can get it right here.