Baron de Chanteclerc

The production method combines reverse osmosis with vacuum distillation, a pairing refined over more than 20 years. Reverse osmosis is a filtration method that separates alcohol from wine using membranes; vacuum distillation then works at reduced pressure so the remaining alcohol evaporates at lower temperatures, protecting the wine's aromatic character. Together the two techniques strip alcohol while retaining as much of the original flavour as possible, placing Baron de Chanteclerc in a smaller technical bracket than most of the AF sparkling shelf.

The range covers brut-style sparkling whites and rosés, all made from grapes grown on the estate. The white draws on Souvignier Gris, a disease-resistant variety that Domaine La Colombette has been developing as part of Vincent Pugibet's work on pesticide-free viticulture. Both styles are dry rather than off-dry, which keeps them versatile alongside food as well as for aperitivo.

Distribution is available through specialist wine merchants. The Languedoc origin is an asset here rather than a liability: the Pugibets are not leaning on regional prestige but on a production technique that took two decades to get right.