NV Pehu Simonet Face Nord Brut Grand Cru Champagne 750 ml

Everyone wants a piece of Verzenay. For famous Champagne houses, there are few better places to obtain Pinot Noir than this Grand Cru village on the north side of Montagne de Reims. That’s why Bollinger, Duval-Leroy, Moët & Chandon, Mumm, Roederer, and Taittinger all source from there. 

Grower-producer Pehu Simonet has had their very own piece of Verzenay for over a century, and if there’s any indication that they’ve mastered the rich, Pinot-dominant style that made the region famous, it’s their Face Nord Brut. Wine Spectator called it “mouthwatering,” while Vinous praised it as “ample, heady, and quite seductive,” calling it a “terrific introduction to the house style.”

This bottling features 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay from the family’s 70+ year-old vines in Verzenay, plus some from the Grand Crus of Verzy and Sillery. Fourth-generation winemaker David Pehu based this wine on the 2022 vintage—a spectacular year in Champagne—with a 25% dose of reserve wines dating all the way back to 2000. He rested it 30 months on the lees to add texture, polish, and complexity. 

Aside from their 3.5 hectares in Verzenay, Pehu Simonet has a few smaller plots in Verzy, Sillery, Mailly, and Bouzy—all Grand Crus famous for their weighty and complex Pinot Noir. This gives fourth-generation winemaker David Pehu a repertoire of world-class terroirs to utilize. While he’s built a reputation for single-cru expressions, the Face Nord blends multiple sources, bringing the best of each plot to the table.

In the Face Nord, those old vines and Grand Cru terroirs yield expressive floral, grapefruit, cherry, and limestone aromas, with a palate showcasing bright acidity, concentrated density, and supple texture. It’s a prime example of what makes Pinot Noir–based bubbly from Grand Cru vineyards so beguiling.