Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte Anne Brut NV (base 2022, disgorged April 2025) is the flagship non-vintage cuvée from Alexandre Chartogne-Taillet, sourced primarily from estate parcels around Merfy and Saint-Thierry, just west of Reims. The vineyards span mature plantings dating from 1970 to 2009 and sit on a mix of sand-rich limestone soils that are key to the wine’s lifted, energetic profile.

The cuvée is built around site transparency: each parcel is vinified separately before blending, ensuring that the final wine reflects the diversity of Merfy’s terroirs rather than a homogenised NV style. The 2022 base release is composed of 50% Chardonnay and a 50% split between Pinot Noir and Meunier, giving both aromatic lift and structural depth. Around half of the blend is reserve wine, adding continuity and mid-palate layering.

Vinification is split between predominantly old oak barrels of varying sizes and a smaller proportion of stainless steel, allowing for both texture development and preservation of freshness. The élevage on lees, combined with careful oxidative handling in barrel, builds complexity without losing precision. Dosage remains restrained, keeping the focus on tension and site expression.

The 2022-based Sainte Anne shows a vivid interplay of citrus, orchard fruit and spice, with a distinct saline, chalk-driven backbone. Aromatically it moves through confited lemon, orange peel, baked pear and subtle baking spice, underpinned by a firm, energetic structure. The palate is layered and dynamic, with both volume and drive, finishing long, precise and slightly savoury.

“Each year I seek a new champagne discovery and 2025 will be remembered as the year I fell in love with Alexandre Chartogne. This beautifully expressive and character-laden wine, sourced mostly from bio-dynamic family plots around the village of Merfy, near Reims, is one of my favourite wines of the year. It’s a melange of confited citrus and vigorous spices, a wine of genuine energy and intrigue, with a degree of layering and complexity that make its price tag look decidedly modest.”
97 points, Nick Ryan, The Australian