Often, Champagne is used to celebrate events like weddings or New Year's Eve — things that are far too scarce these days. But the Champagnes of Marie Courtin bursts with such joie de vivre that they provide a different sort of celebration: of the Champagnes themselves, and the special terroirs that produce it.

It starts with Dominique Moreau’s methods and philosophy, which tend to imbue her wines with a joyous life energy and transparency. Each of her wines are spiritual creation meant to express its place with unadulterated clarity. She not only farms biodynamically, she uses mystical-sounding pendulums to measure the energy fluctuations of her vines.

Cuvées are made from single grape varieties, harvested from small, contiguous parcels and only single vintages. She employs either stainless steel or barrels, depending on what the grapes of each plot demand. She uses wild yeasts to ferment both the still wine (the vin clair) as well as — and this remains quite rare in Champagne — for the secondary fermentation in the bottle.

We have three of her cuvées to offer today. The Efflorescence is single vineyard Pinot Noir grown in Chablis-like soils. Eloquence is Chardonnay from an adjacent parcel, vinified and raised in used barrels. And Indulgence is Rosé: true vinous glory, but with bubbles.

As always, supplies of these wines are quite limited.

Marie Courtin Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Efflorescence 2016 - $111.99
"The 2016 Extra Brut Efflorescence is fabulous. Rich, creamy and expansive on the palate, the Efflorescence marries intense Pinot Noir character with the razor-sharp focus that is such a signature here. There's tremendous depth and Pinot intensity. As good as the 2016 is, it only really blossoms with aeration. Don't be afraid to open this in advance and drink out of a larger glass that will allow the Pinot flavors and textures to fully emerge. No dosage. Disgorged: July, 2022. 94 pts" -Vinous, Antonio Galloni

Marie Courtin Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Eloquence 2018 - $134.99
"The 2018 Extra Brut Eloquence is magnificent. Elegant and layered, the 2018 is ripe, pure, and very vinous in feel. It shows a hint of reduction, reminiscent at times of a great still white wine. The long, pure finish is a thing of beauty. Eloquence is 100% Chardonnay from a single vineyard site in Polisot on clay-limestone soils. Zero dosage. Disgorged: November, 2022. 96 pts" -Vinous, Antonio Galloni

Marie Courtin Champagne Rose Extra Brut Indulgence 2019 - $142.99
"The 2019 Extra Brut Rosé Indulgence is 100% Pinot Noir, done maceration-style, with no added sulfur and bottled with no dosage. Here, I find the approach a bit penalizing. The 2019 comes across as quite rustic, with dried out flavors and limited finish. The wilder, gamier side of Pinot is very much in evidence. Hints of cedar, tobacco, dried cherry, spice and leather emerge, but there's just not much elegance here, especially compared to the other wines in the range. I would prefer to drink this sooner rather than later. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2022.88pts" -Vinous, Antonio Galloni