Before taking over his family's Chablis-based domaine, Charly Nicolle worked for a few years in the Aube, the southernmost part of Champagne that borders on Burgundy and is a short way from Chablis. With his experience working in Champagne, Charly always wanted to produce his own sparkling wine and jumped at the chance to acquire a small vineyard in Molosmes, on the border with Champagne. This is a serious-as-heck, long-aged, mineral-driven, yeast-rich blanc de noirs (made entirely with limestone-inflected Pinot Noir). Racy and brain-dilating, this Champagne method bubbly has a finish that lasts like something 2-4 times its price. Simply amazing juice.
