🇫🇷 Champagne Brimoncourt Brut Régence NV

This is the “who invited you?” Champagne that somehow becomes the main character anyway. Brimoncourt Brut Régence is Chardonnay-led, classy, and dangerously easy to keep pouring.

Wine Description 

Brimoncourt Brut Régence is the house’s signature non-vintage Champagne, built on a Chardonnay-heavy blend that leans elegant instead of shouty. Think Aÿ energy, fine bubbles, and a vibe that says “I have plans,” even if your only plan was texting “one glass.” 

It’s led by François Huré (Brimoncourt’s Chief Oenologist), whose whole job is making sure the blend stays fresh and precise, not puffy or sugary. The house is modern as a brand, but stubbornly serious about quality, with long aging before release and a low dosage that keeps things clean. 

If you want a Champagne that works for an “it’s Tuesday” moment and doesn’t fold at a real dinner, Régence is the move. 

Vine-to-Table: Meet the Winemaker 

François Huré is Brimoncourt’s Chief Oenologist, and he’s not a vibes-only hire: he studied biology in Reims and oenology in Burgundy, then did time at places like Domaine de Montille, the Hospices de Beaune, and M. Chapoutier before taking the lead on Brimoncourt’s blending. That background shows up here as control, tension, and polish rather than loudness. 

The Vibe 

Brimoncourt’s whole thing is “modern excellence with roots,” and Régence is the cleanest expression of that idea: a revived Champagne name, a sleek house identity, and a cuvée designed to feel light on its feet while still tasting like real Champagne. It’s the bottle you open when you want the room to feel a little sharper. 

What it tastes like 

Bright orchard fruit and citrus up front, then it starts flirting with toast and brioche as it opens, with a mineral edge that keeps it from going creamy or sweet. If you like Champagne that feels crisp but not skinny, this lands right in that lane. 

Pairing + When to drink it 

Aperitif is obvious, but Régence really shows off with salty, savory snacks and seafood: think fish tartare, scallops, or cured meats like coppa or jamón. Pop it now for the bright energy, or stash it a bit if you like more of that bready, developed character. 

Quick Specs 

• Producer: Champagne Brimoncourt 

• Winemaker: François Huré (Chief Oenologist) 

• Region/Appellation: Champagne AOC (based in Aÿ) 

• Grapes: 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir 

• Vintage: NV (Non-Vintage) 

• Farming: Sustainably farmed; integrated viticulture encouraged with partner growers 

• Winemaking/Aging: Traditional method; low dosage (6 g/L); aged about 4 years before release (per house feature) 

• ABV: 12.5% 

• Bottle size: 750 ml 

Critic Reviews

• Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast: 90 points (Reviewed vintage: NV), Issue Date 12/1/2024. Short note: “green apple… fine acidity… generous white fruit.”

  • Source: Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide 

• Vahan Agulian, Decanter: 89 points (Reviewed vintage: NV), Tasted 03 Oct 2016 (Glass of Bubbly Tasting). Short note: fruit on the nose, mineral palate, autolytic biscuit/toast/brioche.

  • Source: Decanter wine review 

FAQs 

Q: Who founded Champagne Brimoncourt (the modern house), and when did it start?
A: The current Brimoncourt was revived and founded in 2008 by Alexandre Cornot, who rebuilt the Champagne house from scratch around a dormant historic name. The brand is intentionally styled as luxury with lightness, not heavy prestige posturing. 

Q: Why does Brimoncourt use Philippe d’Orléans as its figurehead?
A: Brimoncourt ties its identity to Philippe d’Orléans, the regent of Louis XV, because he’s credited (in the house story) as an early champion bringing Champagne to the French royal court. It’s basically the brand saying: this is celebration culture with lineage. 

Q: What’s the exact blend for Brut Régence NV, and why does it matter?
A: Brut Régence NV is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, which is why it reads fresh and precise rather than weighty. That Chardonnay lead is the reason it shows citrus, orchard fruit, and a clean finish even as it develops toastier notes. 

Q: How low is the dosage on Brut Régence NV, and what does Brimoncourt aim for?
A: Régence is dosed at about 6 g/L, which helps it feel dry and tidy without turning austere. The house explicitly frames its style as freshness and finesse, with blending as the core craft. 

Q: What’s a concrete “process flex” Brimoncourt uses for Brut Régence?
A: It’s aged for around four years before release (long for a signature NV at this vibe/price), which is why you get that bready, autolytic character without losing lift. That time is doing work even if you’re just pretending you bought it “for brunch.”