Le Dessous de la Cabane Brut Rosé V22/21

A dry rosé Champagne that puts terroir, rather than fruit, in the foreground. Strawberry and raspberry are there, alongside citrus zest, a touch of brioche and a cool, flinty core. Fine bead, clear structure: a sparkling wine that can carry a meal.

Talus-Saint-Prix lies between the Côte des Blancs and the Côte de Sézanne, with vines on south-facing slopes above the Petit Morin, a tributary of the Marne. The soil is riddled with flint, known locally as "meulière", once quarried here for millstones. Cyril Jeaunaux and Clémence Robin farm five hectares, with vines averaging 40 years of age, some considerably older.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Meunier is the house's signature variety, making up over 50 percent of the vineyards; it withstands the late frosts of the Vallée du Petit Morin and develops spice on this terroir. Pressing is done by hand, 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, so that no oak flavour comes through. The estate is farmed biodynamically, guided since 2013 by consultant Jacques Mell.

Dry, with vibrant acidity and a chalky grip. The red fruit stays juicy, the finish long and mineral in character.

Cured salmon with dill and mustard sauce, tuna tartare with sesame or duck confit with lentils. Also rack of lamb with a herb crust and aged Comté.

In 1986, Cyril's parents Michel and Marie-Claude spent months hand-digging a cellar into the chalk bedrock. It holds a constant 12 degrees, where the bottles age for between two and seven years before disgorgement. Cyril took over the estate in 1999.