Recently the N&P team sat down for an in-depth tasting of 11 wines from the Champagne Marguet portfolio – including non-vintage wines, Grand Crus and lieux-dits. We are pleased to work directly with Benoit Marguet, gaining access to some of his most intriguing and desirable wines. They offer such diversity and complexity, that at first glance it can appear difficult to get to grips with, so hopefully this guide will show what makes these wines so compelling, and just where to start.

We started our tasting with a selection of Yuman wines, a range of non-vintage Champagnes which showcase Benoit’s natural approach and demonstrate how rich and expressive Chardonnay-based Champagnes can be.

Our first wine up was the Yuman 22, meaning this wine is based on the 2022 vintage, alongside a proportion of reserve wines blended in for complexity.

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 12 mg/L sulphites, disgorged April 2025

Tasting note: On the nose there is an abundance of yellow fruits, and a hint of savoury richness. The mid-plate is quite savoury, with some freshness contributed by citrus-notes and peach. It is slightly oxidative, and shows a hint of florals. Acidity is high, balanced by a rich, creamy texture. This could certainly age. [90/100, Isobel Salter]

Next we tasted the Yuman 21, so moving to the previous release

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 0mg/L sulphites, disgorged January 2024

Tasting note: A richer example of the Yuman, very oxidative and savoury on the mid-palate. Notes of tropical fruit, lemon, blossom, brioche and spice. Drink now. [89/100, Isobel Salter]

The final wine we tried from this range was the Yuman 19, the oldest example we have available, based on the 2019 vintage. With a low proportion of added  sulphites it is unsurprising that this wine has only improved with age, whilst still staying so fresh.

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L, 16mg/L sulphites, disgorged May 2022

Tasting note: Bright light‑orange colour with fine bubbles.  Youthful nose of candied citrus, such as lemon and tangerine. The palate is structured for a blanc de blancs, with a mid‑palate that offers a reminiscence of brushed apple and red‑skinned apple.  The acidity is balanced, carrying an electric texture. The aftertaste is persistent, with a hint of freshly baked pastry.  This Champagne has a uniquely deep character and offers excellent value for money. Worth tasting. [94/100, Lionel Periner]

We then moved to the Shaman wines, this is also a collection of non-vintage Shamans, but from our tasting, we found these wines to be more approachable than the Yuman range. They are excellent quality, and showcase classic Champagne production, and classic blends.

The first of this range was the Shaman 20, a mature, Grand Cru wine. It was a wine which certainly surprised, as when it was poured it revealed a pink-ish hue which none of us expected. I suspect some skin contact has enhanced the colour, making it deeper and all the more textured.

Stats: 81% Pinot Noir and 19% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 13mg/L sulphites, disgorged August 2023

Tasting note: The colour is surprisingly intense, the skin colour has blead significantly, and it could be mistaken for pale rose. The nose is prominent and positively concentrated with sweetness akin to coconut shavings, quite lovely in fact and less modern than I was expecting, more classic Pinot. The fruit ripeness follows onto the ample palate, medium pressure, nicely proportioned with a long-focussed finish. I think this is a big step up and a charming fizz, one I would certainly look for going forward. [91/100, William Gardener]

We then moved to the Shaman 19, a very similar expression, though using the 2019 base vintage.

Stats: 87% Pinot Noir and 13% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 15mg/L sulphites, disgorged September 2022

Tasting note: Aromatic, rich nose with plenty of stone fruit, brioche, florals and red fruits. This is a more oxidative and vinous style of Champagne, which could stand up to food – it is a wine drinkers Champagne. The texture is rounded, can you feel the tannin here. There is a refreshing high acidity, a hint of spice, and layers of fruit, making for a complex glass of wine. [89/100, Isobel Salter]

Finally, we tried the Shaman 20 Rose, which was perhaps my favourite wine out of this line up. It uses 26% reserve wine and 4.5% of red wine.

Stats: 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, 0g/L dosage, 0mg/L sulphites, disgorged August 2023

Tasting note: Medium salmon colour with a fine mousse. The nose was initially closed, but opened up to reveal notes of strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, citrus zest and peach. It is zesty and fresh, but full bodied and rich. This is a clean, linear rose with soft tannin, firm structure and a mineral, bone dry finish. This could certainly mature if kept for a few years. [94/100, Isobel Salter]

The next collection of wines released by Marguet is their Grand Cru village wines which includes Bouzy, Verzenay, Oger, and many more. On this occasion we had only the Oger 2020 to taste, to gauge what Benoit aims to showcase with this range. It was a clear favourite around the table, with several of us commenting on complexity and the energy from the off.

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 0mg/L sulphites, disgorged February 2025

Tasting note: A very expressive nose with a subtle reductive note boosting the white stone fruit, yellow apple, candied lemon and lemon balm cake aromas, followed by leather and Marguet’s signature note of earth. The palate is vibrant, with chalky yellow fruit flavours as well as melon and peach coming through. There is a lemon sherbet zest too. Impressive energy and tension. The finish is long and mineral with that lemon sherbet zest flavour persisting, lifting freshness further still. There elegance and structure in this wine. This is very well balanced, calm and composed. Classy. [94/100, Callum Gardener]

We then moved into one of Benoit’s most exciting categories, the Lieux-Dits. His Lieux-Dits, or single-vineyard, Champagnes showcase the finest detail of terroir, produced in much smaller quantities. Each Lieux-Dits is unique in its size, altitude, soil type and positioning, making each one individually suited to either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. As a result, each cuvée is single-varietal.

The first up was Les Crayères 2018, which was actually the first Lieux-Dits wine released by Marguet.

Stats: 100% Pinot Noir, 0g/L dosage, 20mg/L sulphites, disgorged March 2023

Tasting note: Rich, vinous, with a fine mousse. Expect notes of candied lemon, dried fruit, jasmine, chamomile, and warm pastry. It is bold and elegant with chalky depth and a muscular structure. This is a wine of real character and finesse. [93/100, David Gardener]

Next was the Bermonts 2018 which comes from a site of just 0.4 hectares and vines planted in 1952.

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 28mg/L sulphites, disgorged March 2023

Tasting note: On the nose, it is open and aromatic, with aromas of lemon sherbet, green apple, pear and some stone fruit. It has a slightly oily texture, balanced by a flinty minerality and refreshing high acidity. It is slightly savoury and natural on the finish, with a hint of hay and a light, crisp finish. [90/100, Isobel Salter]

We then tasted La Grand Ruelle 2018, which also uses old vines, this time planted in 1967 atop clay and brown limestone soil.

Stats: 100% Pinot Noir, 0g/L dosage, 19mg/L sulphites, disgorged March 2023

Tasting note: The nose is rich, and savoury, immediately intriguing and complex. The nose is quite mature, with an abundance of dried fruit, alongside spice, coconut shavings, lemon zest and warm pastry. On the mid-palate, there is plenty of fresh red fruit, alongside some dried herbs. It is a serious, structured wine with richness, smooth, subtle tannin and a crisp, dry finish. [93/100, Isobel Salter]

The final wine of our tasting was the Le Parc 2017, the most mature wine of our tasting, from a Grand Cru plot of vines planted in 1982 atop deep sandy loam soil.

Stats: 100% Chardonnay, 0g/L dosage, 19mg/L sulphites, disgorged April 2022

Tasting note: This wine is ethereal, complex and rich with a persistent mousse and firm structure. Notes of lemon sherbet, pear, ginger, almonds, toasted bread and jasmine abound. It is punchy and certainly has great energy, with the structure supporting the fruit profile. It is gentle, yet full bodied, with a long-finish which leaves you with notes of dried fruit and subtle spice. [92/100, Isobel Salter]

What became clear throughout the tasting was Marguet’s ability to balance energy, texture and terroir without losing drinkability. These are not formulaic Champagnes – they reward attention, evolve in the glass and often challenge expectations.

Whether you start with the expressive Shaman wines or dive straight into the layered complexity of the Lieux-Dits, Benoit Marguet remains one of Champagne’s most distinctive voices.

Discover the full range from Champagne Marguet here.