NV Christophe Mignon "ADN de Meunier", Brut Nature, Champagne France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Vineyards located in the communes of Festigny and Le Breuil. Blend of parcels planted in 1976. Clay-limestone with traces of chalk. 60 cm of topsoil with layers of Tuffe underneath. Blend of biodynamics, phytotherapy, homeopathy and geobiology. One person cares for one hectare-extremely high ratio by Champagne standards. All fruit is hand-harvested. Parcels vinified separately in inox and apoxy lined tanks. Bottling dates chosen by lunar calendar, followed by secondary fermentation in bottle. Each terroir is conserved separately before blending. This zero dosage 100% Pinot Meunier cuvée is a stunner.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Meunier specialist Christophe Mignon comes from a long line of farmers in the hamlet of Le-Mesnil-le-Huttier, 13 miles west of Epernay. His 6.3 hectares of vines were planted by his great-grandparents and are spread among thirty parcels between the villages of Le Breuil and Festigny in the Vallée de la Marne. This area south of the Marne River and along the Flagot tributary is known for its high percentage of Pinot Meunier, which is particularly well suited to the deep clay and chalky Tuffeaux soils that dominate the terrain.

Mignon’s unique approach to viticulture, referred to by us as the Mignon Method, combines natural practices including biodynamics, phytotherapy, homeopathy and geobiology. He likens nature to a rubik’s cube, always changing and offering up new challenges. He is constantly in search of the most subtle challenges and limiting factors in his work, and revels in finding inventive solutions. With the mind of an engineer and the heart and soul of a fifth generation farmer, Mignon’s ingenuity has led to creations such as special footing blades for his tractor to achieve the ideal width and depth when working soils in the vine rows, as well as a homeopathy machine that dilutes treatments of copper blended with valerian root and garlic to help regulate whatever Mother Nature throws his way.