Coteaux Champenois Rouge, Meunier, “Le Mont Moine”, Coulommes-la-Montagne 1er Cru

“Le Mont Moine” is pure Pinot Meunier from a 0.10-hectare plot of south-exposed 40-year-old vines in the premier cru village of Coulommes-la-Montagne. Stomped by foot, fermented whole-cluster, and produced without the addition of sulfur at any point, this cuvée spent two years in barrel—one new, and one significantly older. The vineyard’s sandy soils produce a wine of silky, caressing fruit, amplified here by an intense minerality that is particularly explicit on the vivid nose. Fresh, tingling tannins keep the palate energetic all the way through the very long finish.