Maison 76: A Grand Cru Champagne Worth Opening Tonight and Next Year

A highlight of our year was introducing Maison 76, our K&L-exclusive Champagne label and a tribute to our founding year, 1976. Drawing on Champagne buyer Gary Westby’s decades-long relationships in the region, we set out to create truly exceptional Champagne at a value we never thought possible. Crafted with Champagne Franck Bonville, this is a 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs.
Whether you’re still deciding what to pour tonight or already planning ahead to 2026, this is a rare value that rises to the occasion.

What a bottle! The lavish use of reserve wines in this bottling really sets it apart from anything else that we have in stock; this wine has a texture, a drinkability, and a hidden complexity that is rare to find in any bottle, let alone one that is under $50. The value that our exclusive partnership with Bonville, built over decades, has delivered here is top notch. Grand Cru, especially Côte des Blancs Chardonnay Grand Cru, is hardly ever spoken about as a bargain, but this is an exception.

It has always been my dream to supply the Champagne drinker, and better yet, the Champagne lover, with top notch wines that can be purchased by the case and consumed. For me, this is a bottling that's made my dream come true. All I wanted in it was everything: classy baguette toast, subtle white flowers, a creamy texture, and a fresh finish with chalky minerality for days. And, as usual, the Bonville family delivered!

— Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer

Maison 76 Côte des Blancs Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($39.99)

K&L Notes: Made by Olivier Bonville at Champagne Franck Bonville, this is flat out one of the greatest brut sans année offerings we have ever had at K&L. The Maison 76 is all chardonnay, purely from the grand cru of Avize in the center of the Côte des Blancs. Here the pure belemnite chalk gives us wines that combine richness with freshness and minerality with attractive baguette toast. This wine is a full 60% reserves and dosed very low at just 5.8 grams per liter. It has been aged for three years on the lees. - Gary Westby, K&L

Aaron Hughes | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2025

What an absolute treat, this inaugural selection for the Westby Collection by K&L brings you Maison 76, such a wonderful project with a wonderful result. Lots of beautiful fruit on the front of the bouquet, soft apple, ripe pear, lemon curd, and some very pretty jasmine and white flowers. The palate has a little touch of brioche, and then more apple and pear, lemon juice, and this beautiful minerality on the winding and lingering finish. I had this with some tortellini with broccoli and sausage in a cream sauce, and unsurprisingly to me, it worked beautifully. The beautiful line of acidity that pushes through the whole palate cut through any richness in the dish and left me with something that urged me both to take another bite and another sip. This is one of the best private label new releases we've had, and yet again Champagne Gary Westby has proved that spending more than $40 on a bottle of Champagne is a choice, not a necessity (I mean sure it's a choice I frequently make but that's not the point). This drinks just as well, if not better, than anything comparable even at two or more times its price point. This is easily one of the best decisions you can make this season, or next.

Philip Roufail | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 05, 2025

Maison 76 could only happen at K&L and it's over 20 years in the making. Gary Westby, K&L's Champagne buyer for decades (and now of "Westby Collection" fame) waved his magic sparkling wand and out came this incredible new Champagne from fourth generation grower-producer superstar Olivier Bonville of Champagne Franck Bonville. The pedigree of this juice puts it so far above its price point it's almost stealing. By the numbers, Maison 76 (so named for K&L's founding year -- 1976) is 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the renown Côte des Blancs village of Avize, where Bonville has been operating since 1936 (first bottling under the Franck Bonville name was in 1959), aged for 3 years on the lees, 40% base vintage with 60% reserve wines, and dosage is 5.8g/L. This Champagne is everything you want from a Côte des Blancs Champagne -- elegant, refined, beautifully balanced, ripe fruit, creamy texture, spring flowers, chalky minerality, orchard fruit, and those reserve wines add honeysuckle and nutty flavors like hazelnut and almonds. This is a must try!

Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 11, 2025

Olivier Bonville is one of the greatest winemakers in Champagne, not just in the Cotes du Blanc. I have more bottles created by him in my Champagne collection than from any other winemaker. This brand-new Maison 76, handpicked by Gary is a delicious addition of Olivier's other bottlings. There is a very fine bead and mousse with a creamy texture. The flavors are a delicious mix of tart (not overly so) citrus and crisp orchard fruits. Lemon cream and pear tartlets come to mind with the additional notes of shortbread and vanilla. The price is just as spectacular as the bubbles are. Don't wait!

Lilia McIntosh | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 10, 2025

I love everything about this Champagne! It's creamy, it has freshly baked brioche and croissant like notes, its acidity is in perfect balance with lovely citrus fruit and it has lingering lemon curd note on the finish. This is perfect Champagne for large gatherings and any celebrations, stock up by the case!