95 points Jeb Dunnuck (Audrey Frick)
Coming from the upper, stonier portion of Frion, the 2019 Champagne Contrée Noire is 100% Pinot Noir and pours a brilliant deeper straw color. Perfumed and very attractive, it offers violets, fresh blue and red fruit, salted citrus, fresh grain, and a touch of toast that frames the wine without suggesting oak. It is medium to full-bodied, pure, and clean, with excellent clarity, energy, and length. There is a lovely transparency to the fruit here. It saw no oak, fining, or filtration, and 3,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2026-2040.

Village: Celles-Sur-Ource, Barséquanais
Site: Val Frion
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Vine Age: Planted in 1962
Soil: Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone & clay
Fermentation: Spontaneous with native yeast in stainless steel

MLF: Spontaneous
Disgorgement: January 2026
Aging: 48-72 months on the lees
Dosage: Brut Nature
Farming: Practicing Organic
Filtration/Cold-Stabilization: None
Vegan: Yes