Philipponnat Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs 2019

While the singular and spectacular Clos des Goisses is the jewel in the crown of the Philipponnat range, one of the most useful wine proverbs is to judge the quality of a producer not by their top wine, but by their most accessible cuvées.

Happily, Philipponnat’s Réserve Perpétuelle NVs and signature Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs vintage cuvées, underpin everything the house does at the apex of the range while demonstrating a clear lineage with 1522 and Clos des Goisses.

For an estate famed for its Pinot Noir, the 2019 Blanc de Blancs is a revelation. Showcasing a vintage that is a future legend in the making, akin to 2004 and 2013, it has a vibrancy and tension allied to generous and supple fruit. The 2019 is the first example of this cuvée to be made purely from Grand Cru Chardonnay from Mesnil, and you notice it instantly. Green apple and lemon pith bring wonderful zip to the riper peach and nectarine fruit profile. Delicate floral and herb notes appear, with white flowers and almond on the mid-palate. Fresh pastry, stem ginger, and white pepper are lifted on the finish by limestone and oyster-shell salinity. It is both measured and pretty, as well as powerful and concentrated. Now in dark glass, it is quite possibly the best iteration to date. If you have not tried Philipponnat’s Blanc de Blancs yet, this would be a great vintage to start with…

The Blanc de Noirs 2019 is equally thrilling. Charles Philipponnat knows how to manipulate and blend Pinot like few others in the region, ably channelling this superb vintage, which for black grapes was stylistically closer to the epic 2008 and 2012. Crystalline notes of cherry, strawberry, apricot and red apple are piqued by ginger, fennel seed, chalky saline notes, and the lightest touch of soy. Proving bread dough and roast hazelnuts add weight and intensity to the impressively long finish. Few expressions of Blanc de Noirs will be more profound or deliver as much joy as this. Both wines will age wonderfully and should make for incredible LV versions in the future.

Philipponnat does not fit into a specific Champagne category - a bit bigger than most growers, but far smaller than the Grande Marques. They are not ubiquitous, and certainly not involved in the supermarket discount shuffle. If you’ve not sampled the range before, you can be sure of one thing: they always deliver sapid, generous, and genuinely crowd-pleasing wines, while avoiding mainstream monotony and not veering into the esoteric. Their calling card is a heady mix of drinkability, affordability, prestige, exclusivity, and sophistication. If they are not yet on your radar, they should be, as this stellar house delivers at every price point. The perfect pour for upcoming celebrations and bank holidays with friends and family.

“The 2019 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs is another gorgeous wine in this range from Philipponnat. Power and energy meld together in a wine of striking presence. Most of the malolactic fermentation (70%) was blocked, which contributed palpable tension throughout. Kirsch, white flowers, mint, white pepper and chalk build into the vibrant, saline-drenched finish. This is a stellar showing. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: December 2024.” 94 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (Tasted April 2025) Drink 2025-2031