Étienne Calsac, "Val d'Hermite" NV

100% Pinot Noir. This wine is sourced from a single parcel, from a hamlet of the same name in the region of Bligny in the Aube. The parcel’s topsoil is highly calcareous; the vineyard is exposed south. This bottling is all from vintage 2021, vinified entirely in oak barrels, and aged under cork while on lees for roughly 38 months. Disgorged May 2025 with no dosage. Étienne makes this wine as the one full, regular expression of Blanc de Noirs in his portfolio; for a vintner who is from the Côtes des Blancs and has focused on Chardonnay for most of his winery’s existence, it represents a real curiosity and reach into the other serious, chalk-and-calcaire-driven parts of Champagne. Herbal, savory, and a bit more powerful, it’s a very different wine from the lightness you see in Calsac’s flagships, L’Échappée Belle and Les Rocheforts. Special stuff.