Instinct Meunier Brut Nature 2019

A grower Champagne made from pure Pinot Meunier, bottled as Brut Nature with no dosage whatsoever. Nothing here smooths the wine over, and that's exactly what gives it its lean, direct character, with smoky spice in place of broad fruit.

Talus-Saint-Prix lies at the southern edge of the Côte des Blancs, between that region and the Côte de Sézanne. The five hectares farmed by Cyril Jeaunaux and Clémence Robin lie on south-facing slopes above the Petit Morin, a tributary of the Marne. The soil is marked throughout by silex, the flint once quarried here to make millstones. Farming is biodynamic, guided since 2013 by consultant Jacques Mell.

Pinot Meunier from vines averaging 40 years old, a variety that withstands the late frosts of the Vallée du Petit Morin. The grapes are hand-pressed, and fermentation starts spontaneously with no added yeasts. Ageing takes place in steel tanks, glazed concrete and used oak barrels at least ten years old; oak character is not the goal. The wine matures in the chalk cellar that Michel and Marie-Claude Jeaunaux hand-dug into the rock in 1986, held at a constant 12 degrees, for between two and seven years before disgorgement.

Straw yellow in the glass, with a fine, persistent bead. On the nose, ripe apple, redcurrant and hazelnut over smoky flint. The wine is dry and taut on the palate, with a chalky texture and herbal spice; the freshness comes entirely without dosage.

With simply prepared dishes: oysters, scallops with sea salt, mackerel sashimi or aged Comté.

Brut Nature here means: no dosage after disgorgement. Cyril Jeaunaux is a member of the Terres et Vins de Champagne association. 12.0% ABV.