Les Meuniers Insoumis Premier Cru Brut Nature 2022

The Les Meuniers Insoumis Premier Cru Brut Nature 2022 is a single-varietal Meunier from the Petite Montagne de Reims, bottled by Jean Servagnat without dosage. Brut Nature here means 0 g/l: fruit, élevage and mineral origin meet unfiltered and unadorned.

The grapes grow in Coulommes-la-Montagne in the northern part of the Petite Montagne de Reims, classified Premier Cru just like Servagnat's home village of Vrigny, and traditionally a stronghold of Meunier. Beneath the clay-limestone soils lies a chalk layer up to 150 metres deep. The microclimate is cool, damp and harsh.

100% Pinot Meunier, often underrated in Champagne as the third grape variety, here the leading player. Servagnat farms 3.5 hectares biodynamically and harvests by hand. The grapes come entirely from the 2022 vintage, fermentation proceeded spontaneously with wild yeasts, and ageing took place in three-year-old barriques. The wine was neither cold-stabilised, filtered, nor fined, and sulphur use remains minimal. Tirage took place in July 2023.

The nose opens fragrant and fine with pear, white peach and apricot, a touch of mango and ripe lemon, along with lemon curd, tart zest and brioche. Cool stone provides the counterpoint, and with air, mellow, slightly oxidative nuances emerge. On the palate the mousse feels fine and creamy, lemon and a subtle grassy note provide freshness, while nuts and warm pastry add richness. Despite its creaminess, the Champagne stays dry and precise, gaining further tension and mineral freshness towards the finish.

Jean Servagnat returned to Champagne after studying economics and spending years in Paris and London, studied oenology in Avize and has been bottling his own wines since 2015. Around 6000 bottles a year.