Champagne Esterlin, an over-performing coop making superb wines
Champagne Esterlin
Website: https://www.champagne-esterlin.com/en/house/
Champagne Esterlin is a small co-operative based in Epernay. They began in 1948 when three families from Mancy (a village that’s part of the Coteaux Sud of Epernay) joined together to form a cooperartive, with 29 members and a vineyard area of 23 hectares. Now there are 400 members with 211 hectares of vines.
At Esterlin, they tend to use more age than normal for many of their wines. I tasted through the range, and was really impressed: there are some really good wines here.
The main winery is based in Mancy, and they also have two other pressing stations in the vineyards in the Sezannais and Marne Valley. They have a fancy house on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, too.
Champagne Esterlin Brut Éclat NV France
This was bottled in July 2019 and disgorged in May 2025 with a dosage of 7 g/litre. Alert, live and toasty on the nose with nice citrus brightness, a touch of pear and cherry, finishing bright and slightly saline. This is really good, with lovely focus and complexity. 92/100
Champagne Esterlin Rosé Éclat NV France
This was bottled in January 2022, disgorged June 2023 with a dosage of 7 g/litre. Bright and fruity, with pear, apple and cherry notes. Really lively and delicious with primary fruit and a touch of sweetness. Such juiciness here. Delicious stuff. 90/100
Champagne Esterlin Blanc de Blancs Éclat NV France
Bottled in January 2014, disgorged December 2018 with a dosage of 8 g/l. This is lively, toasty and really fine with lovely crystalline citrus fruit, some salinity, and fine spices. There’s a freshness here but also some richness, with this beautiful salty lick and a touch of sweetness from the dosage. This is excellent. 94/100
Champagne Esterlin Brut Nature 2009 France
Bottled May 2010, disgorged in March 2022 with no dosage. This is overtly toasty and lively with some lovely assertive lemony fruit, as well as a salty character. Very expressive and quite delicious: the lack of dosage reveals the lively, focused, toasty character of the wine so well. Impressive. 93/100
Champagne Esterlin Cléo Blanc de Blancs 2012 France
Bottled July 2013, disgorged March 2024, dosage 8 g/l. Base wine is barrel fermented. Lively, bright and linear with lovely citrus fruit, as well as a touch of green apple and fine toastiness. It’s complex, layered and quite salty on the finish with real depth and complexity. There’s a touch of herbal, spicy depth here, and it finishes bright and energetic. Lovely stuff. 95/100
