It's nothing short of remarkable that, despite all odds and the relentless chaos of war, Kyiv continues to welcome a steady stream of new wines. Cheers to the brave souls making this happen! Some of these wines are like catching up with old friends, others are delightful new encounters, and a few are complete enigmas to me.

I get that choosing what to import is no walk in the park. Honestly, I probably don't fully grasp the gravity of those decisions since I'm not in the wine business—or any retail business, for that matter. But as someone who occasionally hunts down for wines in Europe that haven't made it to the Ukrainian market, I do find myself scratching my head at certain bottles. Why these wines, and not the ones I adore but can't find here?

Then there's the moment when respected voices praise wines that left me cold or confused. I'm left with two choices: let it slide and move on; or grab a few bottles, give them a little nap (nine months isn't exactly what you'd call ageing), and try again. And so, here we are, with Domaine Nowack and Huré Frères. Not to pit them against each other, but to see how these young Champagne winemakers hold up.

Wine	Place	rms	wavg	sdev	fav	price	volume	QPR
Assemblage Sans Année Autre Cru NV Domaine Nowack	🏅 4th	4.1006	4.0636	0.0050	1	2,290 UAH	0.75 L	0.7282
Inattendue 2018 Huré Frères	🥉 3rd	4.1141	4.0848	0.0130	0	3,600 UAH	0.75 L	0.6066
Instantanée 2017 Huré Frères	🥈 2nd	4.2012	4.1788	0.0100	0	2,990 UAH	0.75 L	0.8083
Les Terres Bleues 2019 Domaine Nowack	🥇 1st	4.2270	4.2636	0.0169	2	3,070 UAH	0.75 L	0.9525

Huré Frères

Raoul Huré and his two sons, François and Pierre, are the dynamic trio behind Huré Frères, a family-run winery in Ludes, nestled in the Montagne de Reims. Founded in the mid-20th century, this estate is a proud representative of the grower's Champagne movement, a movement that champions the creation of terroir-driven wines—wines that are as much a reflection of their land as they are of the people who craft them.

When comparing Huré Frères to Domaine Nowack, it's important to note that both producers represent the new wave of grower Champagnes, yet they approach their craft with different philosophies. Huré Frères, with its longer-established roots, emphasizes a balanced expression of terroir and tradition, producing wines that are often a little more classic in style, with a keen focus on ageing potential and the character of their specific plots.

Domaine Nowack

Domaine Nowack, located in Vandières in the Vallée de la Marne, has rapidly gained recognition as a leader of innovation and quality in the Champagne region, thanks to the visionary work of Flavien Nowack. Since joining his family's domaine in 2011, Flavien has embraced a modern approach, becoming part of a movement that emphasises the production of single-vineyard, single-variety, and single-vintage Champagnes. This approach underscores his commitment to expressing the unique terroir of Vandières with clarity and precision, which are rare in the region.

Flavien's dedication to organic farming and his insistence on harvesting grapes only at full maturity reflects his respect for nature and his desire to create wines that fully express their origin. Starting with three hectares of vineyards handed down by his father, Flavien set out to craft three distinct Champagnes, each from a different single parcel of Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Remarkably, all these parcels are situated at the same elevation within Vandières, yet they reveal striking differences in the wines, highlighting the nuances of each varietal when grown in the same terroir.

Flavien's non-interventionist philosophy extends from the vineyard to the cellar. By avoiding chaptalization (the addition of sugar to the must) and malolactic fermentation, he preserves the pure, delicate flavours of his grapes. He also relies on natural yeast from unfermented grape must for the secondary fermentation in the bottle, a technique that enhances the vinous character of his Champagnes. Additionally, Flavien bottles his wines under lower pressure than is typical for Champagne, contributing to their distinctive, vinous texture and style.

Flavien Nowack's approach sets him apart from many traditional Champagne producers, as he focuses on minimal intervention and maximum expression of terroir. This is in contrast to the slightly more traditional methods employed by houses like Huré Frères, which, while also terroir-driven, may use a broader blend of grapes and parcels to achieve their desired style. Flavien's Champagnes often appeal to those who appreciate a more natural, unadulterated wine experience, where the characteristics of the vineyard shine through without the influence of additives or extensive cellar manipulations.

His work is a testament to the potential of Champagne as a reflection of place, and his wines provide a fascinating counterpoint to those of more established producers like Huré Frères, making for an intriguing comparison in any tasting.

Let's explore how these philosophies translate into the glass.

Domaine Nowack Assemblage Sans Année Autre Cru NV

Region: France » Champagne » Champagne AOC » Vallée de la Marne
Type: white traditional sparkling, extra brut
Producer: Domaine Nowack
Wine: Assemblage Sans Année Autre Cru
Vintage: NV, based on 2020
Disgorged: 2023-05
On lees: ~24 months
Grapes: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12
Sugar: 1
Price: 2690 UAH
Find at

This wine secured the 🏅 4th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Assemblage Sans Année (meaning "without year" in French) is a blend of 60% Pinot Meunier and 40% Chardonnay. This non-vintage Champagne captures the essence of Vandières, with fruit sourced from multiple parcels. The base wine is from the 2020 vintage, complemented by 40% reserve wines from 2012 to 2019. Fermentation is spontaneous, using only natural yeasts, and the wine is aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks and small oak barrels. The vin clair undergoes natural malolactic fermentation in the spring, without chaptalization, fining, filtering, or cold stabilization. For the secondary fermentation, the wine is aged under a crown cap using MCR (Mout Concentré Rectifié), with a final dosage of 1 g/L, resulting in a precise and terroir-driven expression.

This bottle leaves me a bit puzzled. On one hand, it's definitely an improvement over my experience nine months ago. There are many admirable qualities: an intriguing bouquet of mould, salted nuts, bruised apples, white flowers, and a touch of sake. It has a bit of that natural wine character, but in a beautifully balanced way. There's also a vinous quality to it, with a perlage that's not overly powerful and palate that's well-structured and delicious.

On the other hand, it’s unexpectedly oxidative in style. Despite the intriguing aromas, it ultimately feels a bit simple, particularly on the palate, where the short and unconvincing aftertaste doesn’t quite live up to the initial promise. However, it does offer good value for the price, which is always a plus.

Huré Frères Inattendue 2018

Region: France » Champagne AOC » Montagne de Reims
Type: white traditional sparkling, extra brut
Producer: Huré Frères
Wine: Inattendue
Vintage: 2018
Disgorged: 2023-05
On lees: 48 months
Grapes: Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12
Sugar: 3
Price: 3600 UAH
Find at

This wine secured the 🥉 3rd place in our wine tasting lineup.

Their cuvée Inattendue, which translates to "unexpected" in French, lives up to its name by offering a surprising depth of ageing potential and complex aromas from Chardonnay grapes sourced from Ludes and Rilly-la-Montagne. This wine spends at least 48 months on its lees, which contributes to its rich texture and nuanced flavours, before being disgorged in May 2023 with a delicate dosage of 3 g/L.

Nothing extraordinary here—just a delightful, easy-to-enjoy Blanc de Blancs. It offers charming notes of pear candy, lemon, fresh grass, and apple. There’s a touch of creaminess on the palate, with a nice intensity at the start that leads into a long, flavourful aftertaste reminiscent of lemon candy.

Huré Frères Instantanée 2017

Region: France » Champagne AOC » Montagne de Reims
Type: white traditional sparkling, extra brut
Producer: Huré Frères
Wine: Instantanée
Vintage: 2017
Disgorged: 2023-05
On lees: 60 months
Grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Alcohol: 12
Sugar: 3
Price: 2990 UAH
Find at

This wine secured the 🥈 2nd place in our wine tasting lineup.

Instantanée (meaning "instant" in French) is the Huré Frères' annual snapshot—a vintage Champagne that captures the essence of the year. It's a blend of the three classic Champagne varietals: 35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 30% Pinot Meunier, sourced from the vineyards in Ludes, Villedommange, Rilly-la-Montagne, and Brouillet. After spending a minimum of 60 months on its lees, it was disgorged in May 2023, also with a dosage of 3 g/L.

This wine presents an intense bouquet with intriguing notes of dried mushrooms, red apple, dark bread, red currant, burnt caramel, and a hint of cheesecake. On the palate, it’s chalky and intense, with good acidity that keeps things lively. There’s also a touch of cider beginning to emerge, adding to its overall charm. However, the wine feels a bit too young and could benefit from more time to soften and round out its edges.

Domaine Nowack Les Terres Bleues 2019

Region: France » Champagne » Champagne AOC » Vallée de la Marne
Type: white traditional sparkling, extra brut
Producer: Domaine Nowack
Wine: Les Terres Bleues
Vintage: 2019
Disgorged: N/A
On lees: N/A
Grapes: Meunier
Alcohol: 12
Sugar: 7
Price: 4200 UAH
Find at

This wine secured the 🥇 1st place in our wine tasting lineup.

Les Terres Bleues is a 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne, sourced from the Les Terres Bleues parcel in the town of Vandières, located on the higher altitude slopes (Haut-Coteau) of Flavien’s vineyards in the Vallée de la Marne. The soil here is fossilized limestone, and the vines are planted at an altitude of 180 meters. Fermentation is spontaneous with natural yeasts, and the vin clair is aged in small oak barrels, further enhancing its complexity. Like the Assemblage Sans Année, this wine is not chaptalized, fined, filtered, or cold stabilized, and it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation in the spring. For the secondary fermentation, it is aged under cork using MCR, with a slightly higher dosage of 7 g/L. This Champagne is a true expression of its terroir, showcasing the minerality and depth that Pinot Meunier can achieve in the right conditions.

A fleeting wine that demands attention despite its intensity on both the nose and palate. The bouquet is intriguing, with notes of caramel, brioche, cotton candy, baked apple with honey, and subtle hints of boiled onion (in a surprisingly good way). On the palate, it reveals flavours of ripe plum and iodine. There’s a touch of sweetness, but it’s well-balanced, adding a pleasant volume to the wine. It’s vinous, ripe, with lovely cider notes throughout. A delightful bottle overall.

Raw scores

Wine	Boris B	Andrii S	Viktoriya Zh	Elvira K
Assemblage Sans Année Autre Cru NV Domaine Nowack	4.00	4.10	4.20	4.10
Inattendue 2018 Huré Frères	4.00	4.25	4.00	4.20
Instantanée 2017 Huré Frères	4.10	4.30	4.10	4.30
Les Terres Bleues 2019 Domaine Nowack	4.30	4.30	4.00	4.30

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Flavien Nowack vs Huré Frères