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B-21 Top Recommendation
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Talk about an unbelievable coup de grâce for our direct-import portfolio! We are thrilled to announce our new domaine-direct relationship with Ambonnay's most dynamic and forward-thinking visionary, Benoît Marguet. You will seldom meet a vigneron more passionate about his craft and more confident in his methods than Benoît, and while his stellar Champagnes might give him ample reason for arrogance, he's anything but. After our domaine visit last October, we went all in on this singular grower.
Combine his almost obsessively meticulous viticulture with some of the finest vine holdings in Bouzy and Ambonnay and you get a range of wines that are simply gorgeous through and through, starting with his flagship 94-point Shaman. Based on the outstanding 2022 vintage, this grand cru blend is "a wonderful combination of fruit, roundness, and freshness" while also maintaining "intensity, power, and a salty structure."
The village grand Cru Ambonnay is itself a 95-point gem of the highest caliber, a "fragrant and very pretty" blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that shows the multi-dimensional potential of both Marguet's vine holdings and his winemaking, but the true brilliance of the range lies in his single-vineyard showstoppers. Made and allocated in highly limited quantities, these are some of the most tranparent, terroir-expressive Champagnes on the market. The 96-point Les Bermonts comes from half-hectare of Chardonnay planted in 1952 on clay and limestone and is "a wine of marvelous harmony that knits everything together into a seamless fabric of the vineyard itself." Likewise, the double 95-point Les Crayeres displays "vivid, chalky aromatics of stunning purity" and a palate of "marvelous fruit intensity" where "the structure and textural vibrancy are just breathtaking."
Finally, the 96-point 2017 Sapience represents Marguet's appreciation for communal, like-minded growers who exhibit the same passion for their work. It's a blend of all three Champagne varietals, cultivated by growers with equally serious methods and repuations – Meunier from Vincent Laval in Cumières, Chardonnay from David Leclapart in Hautvilliers, and Pinot Noir from Marguet's own Ambonnay plots. A "wonderful, profound, lasting" wine of singular character, it's an expression in a category of its own.
This was indisputably the finest line-up top to bottom on our last trip to Champagne, and getting direct access to this cellar is one of the top three highlights of 2025 for our direct-import program, so any avid collector or fan of the most compelling grower Champagnes should dive deep into this selection without hesitation. |
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When we tasted the Shaman at Marguet’s domaine in October, we knew right then that we were in for a truly exceptional line-up. Made of 64% Pinot Noir and 36% Chardonnay entirely from Marguet’s Ambonnay vineyards, the Shaman is easily one of our smartest buys in Grand Cru grower Champagne. We almost never see this level of artisan craftsmanship at this price. Bright, effusive, and thoroughly charming, this is a classic example of Marguet's style as well as the world-class quality of his work. The aromatics are dazzling and open right out of the gate, with punchy pink grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry, strawberry, and rhubarb. Minor notes of lemon zest and pure chalk play in excellent background tension with a soft, refined sur lie brioche character. The palate structure is so exquisitely balanced – just ripe enough, extremely juicy, perfectly delicate, offering waves of enticement with every sip. The fruit matches the nose note for note, with perhaps just a bit more concentration on the pink citrus element, while chalky undertones provide an uplifting foundation for the incredibly expressive fruit.
94 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Champagne Buyer (Dec 2025)
Coming solely from his own grapes in Ambonnay and Bouzy, the NV Champagne Grand Cru Shaman 22 Brut Nature sports a bright yellow/copper color. It offers plenty of richness along with purity and tension, featuring black fruit, black cherries, ripe citrus, grapefruit, and a chalky texture with length. The wine shows intensity, power, and a salty structure. It will be best enjoyed from 2025 to 2040.
94 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2025)
This is open and fresh, showing lemongrass, orange peel, peaches and pastries on the nose. Very juicy, bright and alive, with delicate, just-ripe fruit and fine bubbles. Dry, balanced and pretty. 84% pinot noir and 16% chardonnay. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Based on 2022. Disgorged April 2025. Drink now.
93 points, Claire Nesbitt, James Suckling (Jul 2025)
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