NV Bernard Lonclas Cuvee Selection Brut Champagne 750 ml

The Côte des Blancs, named for its white, limestone-heavy soils, is the chalky heart of Champagne—and Bernard Lonclas’ Cuvée Selection Brut Champagne is one of those irresistible, serendipitous discoveries we dream about. It’s a RARE chance to drink stellar bubbles from the region for such a ridiculously low price.

The family-run Bernard Lonclas is in a class of Champagne grower-producers that makes some of the style’s most distinctive and evocative bottles. While many Champagne winemakers source grapes from specialized growers, Lonclas does the farming themselves, applying their focus from the fields to the cellar in order to craft a pure expression of their terroir.

In Bassuet, a small village in the Côte des Blancs, Lonclas creates the harmonious Selection Brut from a carefully chosen blend of 50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Noir.

The result is a celebratory and contemplative bubbly from the star-studded Côte des Blancs. Aromas of lime zest and orange burst forth with the vibrancy of the “Champagne Supernova” chorus, before the palate delivers peachy key-lime and mineral riffs—the controlled energy and seamless spontaneity of Paul Weller’s guitar solo with a light touch of ripe fruit to finish. 

We discovered this unlikely and unforgettable Champagne while traveling in Italy. Our mission had been to come home with allocations of Italian wines for Wine Access members, but this French gem was simply too good to pass up. A spontaneous find, it’s a Champagne superstar priced to be a spontaneous grab from your cellar—and ready to turn any evening into a celebration.