So with The Mystery of Meunier uncovered, as far as is possible at least, we are very excited to introduce our brand new champagnes for spring, showcasing the best of Pinot Meunier.
In the end we decided on three cuvées with a Meunier majority which passed the most important test – that of quality – whilst giving a good representation of the overriding characteristics of this grape. Delouvin-Bagnost’s Millésime 2005 (70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay from Vandières), Joël Goboncé’s Brut Rosé (90% Pinot Meunier, 5% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir from Savigny-sur-Ardres) and Piot-Sévillano’s Brut Tradition (70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay from Vincelles) all have the lovely fragrance, soft musty bitterness and subtle fruit we have come to expect from a good Pinot Meunier, combined with the balance, maturity, complexity and elegance needed to be accepted as Real Champagne Club champagnes.
And here they are:
Over the next few months, we will focus on each of the new producers in turn, along with a fact or two about this elusive grape variety.
Let’s begin with Piot Sévillano, from the village of Vincelles in the Vallée de la Marne. Started in 1955 by Emile Piot, the house used to grow exclusively Pinot Meunier, so they really are experts in their field. Subsequent generations have planted the other grape varieties to make interesting blended champagnes, but still with a focus on Meunier. Each generation has grown not only the production, but also added their own special “cuvée” to the house portfolio.
Today the house is run by Christine and her husband Vincent, who had to train in wine-making and learn from her grandfather as both had been pursuing careers elsewhere before deciding to take over the vineyard. Not that you’d know it today. Their knowledge and passion is astounding, which is reflected in their exceptional range of champagnes.
The focus for Piot Sévillano is to reduce the yield of their vines to ensure optimal quality. They do this through a process called “palissage” whereby they remove any buds that have not flowered or are unlikely to do so, clearing the way for those in bloom. When it comes to harvesting, they look for a “potential alcoholic volume” of 10.5-11 degrees. This refers to the anticipated alcohol content once the juice has undergone its first fermentation. Usually, growers add sugar before the initial fermentation to achieve the desired level of alcohol content, however Piot Sévillano prefer not to interfere with the natural character of the grapes and the wine. The process of adding sugar to the grape juice before fermentation is called “chapitalisation“.
The Brut Tradition from this house, made from 70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir has been taken from the 2012 harvest and aged for 20 months in the bottle. This gives it a slight vegetal and very aromatic nose and a wonderfully soft and round palate. There is also a delicate freshness, with a slight minerality, developing into flavours of orange, dates and raisins. It would pair fantastically well with light meats and cheeses – our guests enjoyed it with Mozzarella and Sweet Pepper Tart and Mini Chicken and Ham Pies.
It takes great skill to work with Pinot Meunier in the exposed climates of the Marne Valley. Pinot Meunier is more susceptible to rot than other grape varieties because the grapes bunch closer together. That said, unlike the other varieties, it possesses a unique asset, whereby it can replenish up to 70% of its growth if damaged by an early spring frost. This is because Meunier vines have 3 sets of bud shoots. For this reason, it is often pruned and tied first, closely followed by Pinot Noir, which has tougher grape skins and finally Chardonnay, the most sensitive grape of all.
Christine Piot-Sévillano
Definitely the most popular champagne of the night at our launch event – very quaffable and perfect for a spring afternoon.
Until next time…
Karen
Chief Bubble Taster @ The Real Champagne Company
The Real Champagne Company 