A brilliantly good and airy Blanc de Blancs with refinement, precision and—above all—high drinkability, a likeable and consistent hallmark of all Sadi Malot wines.
Sadi Malot is a small family producer in the heart of the Montagne de Reims with 11 hectares of vineyards in both 1er cru Villers-Marmery and grand cru Verzy. They have farmed sustainably for 20 years, and the conversion to organic farming began in 2017, with certification underway. Today, the family’s 16 sheep help keep the cover crop under control. They are part of the wave of RM producers (récoltant-manipulant = estate wines from estate-grown grapes) who over the past few decades have offered an excellent, personal alternative to the dominance of the big brands. At Sadi Malot, the fifth generation—Cindy Malot and her partner Florian Villière—has, with great stylistic confidence, taken already good Champagnes to new heights.
This Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively from Chardonnay from 1er cru vineyards in Villers-Marmery, where the winery is also located. The 2021 harvest contributes 55% of the base wine, while 45% is reserve wine from a solera started in 1982, with 30% of the solera’s volume renewed each year. The wine spent 36 months sur lie and was disgorged in September 2024 as Brut Nature with a residual sugar level of 1.8 g/L.
Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature is the house’s most weightless wine, with crystal-clear, youthful energy. Its stylistic signature is supported by fine, creamy and persistent bubbles. The transparent style—with no trace of oxidation—results in a wine where minerality sits front and centre on the aromatic spectrum. The chalky subsoil is clearly felt, and thanks to its effortless dryness there is also a juicy sense of vitality, making this a Champagne that is both complex and easy to drink.
This is not “disco Champagne”, and it does not taste like lavish white Burgundy with bubbles—rather, it tastes like Champagne: subtle, airy and refined. Give the wine time and attention and you will be rewarded.
Naturally, it is an obvious aperitif, but it is also a versatile food wine. This may not be a rustic, classic “food Champagne”, but try it anyway—it will undoubtedly surprise in a very positive way.
94 points – Jyllands-Posten
“Another high-class bubble from the east-facing, chalk-rich terroir of Villers-Marmery in the Montagne de Reims, which is not unlike conditions in the Côte des Blancs and, moreover, forms a small Chardonnay hotspot in the middle of Pinot Noir country. Here, Florian and Cindy Malot craft strikingly delicious, brilliantly pure and stringent wines with minimal dosage and a full focus on precision, razor-sharp balance and the mineral nerve that makes Champagne so special. This Blanc de Blancs is the essence of that. Full of crushed oyster shells, talc and strongly chalky notes alongside a cool, apple- and citrus-driven fruit. Propelled by a well-proportioned, taut, cool fruit profile of citrus and apple, complemented by brioche and a touch of flinty smoke and almond. Precise acidity. A full 45% is reserve wine from the estate’s own solera, started in 1982. This approach adds complexity and depth and works particularly well for the wine’s lively freshness, as the reserve wine does not contribute heavy, deeply oxidative notes. The solera is, in fact, aged exclusively in stainless steel. Creamy and beautifully airy mousse with the finest tiny bubbles that melt across the palate. The estate is also in the process of converting to organic farming. A lovely grip on the palate too, without compromising the wine’s thirst-quenching drive.”
Morten Bundgaard, 27 May 2025
