GROWER CHAMPAGNE CLUB
FEBRUARY 2021
BEAUCOUP PLUS MEUNIER!
Hooray for Rosé of Meunier on V Day
• Christophe Mignon ‘ADN de Meunier’ Brut Rosé
• Laherte Frères ‘Rosé de Meunier’ Extra Brut
CHRISTOPHE MIGNON ‘ADN DE MEUNIER’ BRUT ROSÉ
Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France NV
Christophe Mignon is a fanatically nature-inspired heir to a lineage of farmers in the heart of Meunier country aka the Marne Valley. His vines were planted way back by his great-grandparents on a scant 15 acres spread over 30 separate parcels. This area south of the Marne River with its deep clay and chalky tuffaceous soils is uniquely suited to meunier and its mysteries. Christophe claims a specific 60 centimeters of clay and limestone topsoil on top of the Tuffe, and it’s this kind of attention to detail you can taste time and again in his bottles.
Mignon’s enthusiasm extends to his natural viticulture, including biodynamic, phytotherapy and homeopathic practices. Mignon has farmed and vinified according to the lunar calendar for 20 years, explaining that “the moon for a vigneron is like a metronome for a musician.” He employs one person per hectare in his vineyards, an extremely expensive endeavor meant to keep a connection to all the pieces of the system. Each of his 30 sites is made separately in temperature controlled tanks before aging in neutral barrels, with minimal amounts of sulfur used and little to no dosage in most bottlings. ADN is DNA en français and stands for acide désoxyribonucléique, try saying that five times fast while enjoying a glass of Meunier DNA.
This has such deep, dense and layered fruit for a Champagne, with heaps of blueberry and blackberry, (and a hint of black strap molasses!?) really showing the darker fruit side of Meunier. That fruit is lifted by scents of fresh rain on meadow grass and wildflowers, leading to the mushrooms that sprout after a storm. An umami saltiness hints at rich Miso broth and fresh baked hot pretzels, with toasted edges. This is a rosey trove of profound flavors and wild aromatics and a lingering acid afterglow, complete with tasty tracers.
50% 2015 + 50% 2016 vintages, 24 months in bottle, disgorged 1/2020, 6 grams/liter dosage.
LAHERTE FRÈRES ‘ROSÉ DE MEUNIER’ EXTRA BRUT
Chavot, Côteaux Sud d'Epernay, Champagne, France NV
The Laherte family has been growing in Champagne for over 130 years, beginning in 1889 when Jean-Baptiste Laherte established his estate. He planted 12 acres in the village of Chavot just south of Epernay, at the confluence of the Côtes des Blanc and the Marne Valley. This interesting sub-region has pockets of soil resembling both geologically differing regions, and with such a rich diversity of terroirs, the family cultivates the three major Champagne grapes across 26 acres and 75 parcels – mostly on the southern slopes of Epernay but also a few holdings of 1er Cru Chardonnay vineyards (Vertus and Voipreux) and Meunier (Le Breuil and Bourgault) in Vallée de la Marne.
Today the family estate is headed by the fifth generation vigneron Aurélien Laherte, who took over in 2005 and quickly became one of the region’s sustainability champions and a rising star. He farms manually with a team of family members- aunts, uncles and cousins- who work according to the lunar calendar and even use unique therapies like plant infusions to bolster vine vigor. Aurélien has begun using year-round cover crops in order to enrich the soil microbiome and to reduce the need for plowing. Fermentation takes place in tanks, foudres and barrels, malo is usually only partially completed, and wines are aged a minimum of 6 months before tirage bottling, with little to no final dosage.
A briney seaweed umami is first out of the glass, followed with a sweet fruity cupcake batter- this is the mystery of Meunier, at once earthy and dense, it’s also just as fruity as you please. Glowing highlights of orange citrus and gushing red berries are drizzled with rhubarb syrup and burnt caramel. There’s crunchy caraway seeds in rye toast, baked grains and lemon poppy seed scones. The acid is as crunchy as the white rind of a watermelon and the yeasty texture is as decadent and rich as salted macadamia nuts.
A blend of 30% macerated Meunier, 60% clear, pressed wine and 10% still red wine. 2017 and 2016 vintages, disgorged March 2020, 2.5 grams per liter dosage.