2023 Julian Prelat Chantemerle Blanc de Noirs

600 cases made — depending on the vintage. Toasty yet citrus-forward on the nose — wild strawberry, red apple, orchard fruit, white flowers, a whisper of chalk and brioche — vibrant and finely textured on the palate, with a creamy mousse, crisp acidity, and a long dry mineral finish that carries the Kimmeridgian limestone all the way through. The NV Julien Prélat "Chantemerle" (2023 base) is a single-vineyard Blanc de Noirs from the Chantemerle lieu-dit in Celles-sur-Ource, Côte des Bar — 100% Pinot Noir from vines planted in 1982, sustainably farmed with organic fertilizers only, fermented in stainless steel, Extra Brut at just 2g/L dosage. Julien and Karine Prélat work their 7 hectares by hand, farming the same Kimmeridgian soils as their neighbor Cédric Bouchard — the same terroir, a different and equally compelling point of view. The wine that earns its place alongside Champagnes that cost three times as much.