Chateau de Montifaud VS Petite Champagne Cognac

I'm constantly on the lookout for good-value: under-the-radar bottles that offer great quality without requiring you to drop a lot of $$. When one comes along it feels like finding a first edition of The Great Gatsby in a closeout bin. Chateau Montifaud is my kind of producer: family run for a gazillion generations, small production, and heart-felt care and attention from grape growing to maturation. To give you an example, they press the grapes within 30 minutes of picking to avoid oxidation, ferment at cooler temps to retain fruit and floral notes, and distill on the lees for creaminess. They also age longer than required in French oak (only 10 months new). The result is a soft, luscious sip with spring-like floral notes, buttery pears, and apples. It's a light, easy sipper and excellent for cocktails.