Founded in Aÿ in 1843, Besserat de Bellefon is one of Champagne’s smaller historic houses, and while it often flies under the radar, this 2008 Cuvée des Moines is easily the best Champagne we have tasted from them. Cuvée des Moines is the house’s signature bottling, first created in 1930 and known for its lower-pressure méthode champenoise, which produces a finer, softer mousse than most traditional Champagne. The bottles we are offering were disgorged later and are coming direct from the house, meaning they spent more than 10 years on the lees, adding real depth and complexity while preserving the tension of the great 2008 vintage. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a small amount of Pinot Meunier, with dosage on the lower end of the Brut scale, it shows beautiful aromas of white flowers, citrus, praline, honey, exotic spice, and grilled bread. The palate is powerful and layered, with citrus, fresh apple, fig, minerals, brioche, and plenty of dry extract, all kept in check by the vintage’s excellent acidity. This is a very serious bottle of Champagne, with the age, depth, and balance to stand up to many houses’ tête de cuvées, and our pricing is the best in the USA.