Champagne Noël Bazin "L'Unanime" Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

Noël and Magali Bazin founded this tiny grower estate in 1999, farming just 3.3 hectares across 25 parcels in the Premier Cru village of Villers-Marmery, on the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Working vines up to 50 years old on soils so chalk-rich you can pick chunks straight from the ground, the Bazins have earned a reputation as one of the most meticulous growers in the village, exactly the kind of small, personality-driven house that defines grower Champagne at its best. L'Unanime, meaning "the unanimous," is the estate's entry-level cuvée, made entirely from Chardonnay. The blend is built from roughly 70% 2022 base vintage, with the remaining 30% drawn from a solera system, including reserve wine aged in oak barrels, giving the wine added depth and continuity across vintages. In the glass, expect a pale straw color with a fine, persistent mousse. The nose opens with green apple skin, Meyer lemon, and crushed chalk, layered with pastry dough, marzipan, and a hint of gentle oxidative complexity from the solera component. The palate is precise and linear, driven by citrus zest, underripe pear, and saline minerality, with subtle lees-derived roundness building toward a long, dry finish marked by crushed oyster shell and toasted brioche. It's earned recognition too, taking Gold at the Frankfurt International Trophy. Crisp, chalky, and refreshingly food-friendly, it's an excellent match for raw or simply prepared seafood: oysters on the half shell, scallop crudo with lemon oil, or poached white fish with citrus beurre blanc, and it pairs just as well with vegetable tempura or a shaved fennel salad. A genuinely well-made, small-production Blanc de Blancs that delivers serious grower Champagne character at an approachable price.