Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut Champagne

Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut Champagne is a 750ml, 12% ABV Premier Cru Champagne from the Montagne de Reims, blending Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. This cuvée earned a Gold medal at Mundus Vini and a 91-point score from Wine Spectator (December 2012), placing it among the most recognized Premier Cru non-vintage Champagnes in its price tier.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12%  |  Origin: Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France  |  Premier Cru Brut NV  |  Distillery: Maison Forget-Brimont

Production & Heritage

Maison Forget-Brimont is rooted in the Montagne de Reims, one of Champagne's most prestigious sub-regions for Pinot Noir cultivation. The Premier Cru Brut is assembled from a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay, incorporating approximately 50% reserve wines to maintain house-style consistency across vintages. Only first-press juice — known as the cuvée — is used, a selective practice that contributes to the wine's finesse and purity. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle within cellars situated 15 metres underground at a constant 11°C, and the wine rests on the lees for a full 30 months, well beyond the 15-month minimum required for non-vintage Champagne.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with crisp green apple and a touch of white florals before giving way to deeper layers of toasted almonds, brioche, and a yeasty, developed character. Subtle hints of peach and a faint almond nuttiness emerge as the wine warms in the glass.

Taste: On entry, lively lemon and white peach fruit meets a cushioning, persistent mousse. The mid-palate broadens with buttery, nutty complexity and toasted bread flavors, while a bright citrus acidity and mineral edge cut through the richness. At its peak, interesting cedar spice and a gentle creaminess round out the experience.

Finish: The finish is long-lasting and complex, carrying lingering notes of toasted bread, almond, and a zingy citrus brightness. The mousse remains fine-textured throughout, leaving a clean, mineral-tinged close.

How to Drink Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut

This Champagne rewards a slight chill to around 8–10°C, served in a tulip-shaped glass that channels the toasted, nutty aromatics without dispersing the mousse too quickly. On its own as an apéritif, the wine's balance of richness and acidity is at its most expressive. For a Classic Champagne Cocktail, the brioche and almond depth stands up to the sugar cube and bitters beautifully. In a French 75, the citrus brightness and lively mousse integrate seamlessly with gin and lemon juice. A Bellini variation using white peach purée plays directly into the wine's natural stone-fruit character.

Best For

• Hosting a celebratory dinner where Premier Cru provenance matters
• Gifting to a Champagne enthusiast who values reserve-wine complexity
• Pairing with a multi-course seafood or French bistro menu
• Stocking a home bar with a reliable, award-winning non-vintage Champagne

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut taste like? It leads with lively lemon and white peach, then develops into rich layers of toasted brioche, almond nuttiness, and cedar spice, all supported by a fine, persistent mousse and bright acidity.

How does Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut compare to H. Billiot Grand Cru Brut Tradition? Both have appeared together in competitive tastings; Forget-Brimont sources from Premier Cru vineyards across the Montagne de Reims with a three-grape blend, while H. Billiot is a Grand Cru grower Champagne from Ambonnay focused heavily on Pinot Noir. The Forget-Brimont tends to show more Meunier-driven fruitiness and broader accessibility, whereas Billiot often emphasizes power and vineyard-specific intensity.

Is Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut good for sipping neat? Yes — the 30 months of lees aging and generous reserve-wine component give it enough depth and texture to stand on its own as a serious apéritif or throughout a meal.

Where is Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut made? It is produced by Maison Forget-Brimont in the Montagne de Reims, a sub-region of Champagne, France, known for producing some of the appellation's finest Pinot Noir-based cuvées.

What foods pair well with Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut? Oysters on the half shell complement the wine's mineral acidity. Gruyère gougères echo its toasted, nutty notes. Seared scallops with brown butter mirror the brioche richness. Smoked salmon plays well against the citrus brightness. Aged Comté cheese brings out the cedar and almond undertones.

What sizes does Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut come in? The standard bottling is a 750ml bottle, the most widely available format for this cuvée.

Is Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut worth the price? It positions as a mid-range Premier Cru Champagne, and the combination of a Gold Mundus Vini medal, a 91-point Wine Spectator score, 30 months on lees, and exclusive use of first-press juice represents strong value relative to Premier Cru peers at comparable or higher price points.

Why Forget-Brimont Premier Cru Brut?

The decision to use only cuvée — the juice from the first press — is a meaningful quality commitment that not all non-vintage Champagnes share, contributing to the wine's clean structure and aromatic precision. The extended 30-month lees aging, double the legal minimum, delivers a textural richness and autolytic complexity that punches above the typical NV category. A 91-point Wine Spectator score and Mundus Vini Gold medal give it third-party validation that many similarly positioned Champagnes lack. For those who want Premier Cru provenance from the Montagne de Reims with genuine reserve-wine depth, this is one of the more consistent and well-documented choices available.