Description & elaboration
The Blanc de Meunier 2018 cuvée from Leclerc Briant is a champagne sourced from Premier Cru-classified plots in the Vallée de la Marne, crafted from 100% Meunier. It is a champagne with notes of quince, toasted almond and warm mirabelle plum, with spiced accents of ginger and cardamom. On the palate, the texture is creamy and enveloping, with a saline, lingering finish — perfectly suited to autumn and winter dining. A rare cuvée, crafted on a human scale by Hervé Jestin, with a confidential production.
The Terroir
The vines dedicated to this wine grow on the territory of Cumières. The clay-limestone soils over an outcropping chalk layer allow the roots to reach down to two metres in depth. The south-facing exposure of the plots encourages consistent ripening of the Meunier. These conditions impart a clean mineral backbone to the grapes at harvest.
The estate has held Demeter certification since 2008. This specification excludes all synthetic inputs and favours preparations based on plants and minerals.
The vinification
The cellar master orchestrates the blending of this parcel-selected Blanc de Noirs. The harvest is carried out by hand, followed by slow pressing to preserve the delicacy of the juice. The musts are vinified almost entirely under wood, in old oak barrels that impart no drying tannins. This method lends the wine roundness and aromatic depth.
Malolactic fermentation takes place spontaneously during the winter months. The cuvée is produced without added sulphur at this stage, and without fining. Bottling under cork takes place in July 2019; ageing on cork spans sixty-eight months, developing a pronounced autolytic profile through prolonged contact with the lees.
Also worth discovering: a rosé expression of the Pinot Meunier grape variety.
The 2018 vintage
In Champagne, the 2018 season was defined by continuous summer sunshine and spring rainfall that replenished the water reserves of the clay soils. Flowering began early in June, and the months of August and September recorded temperatures exceeding thirty degrees.
These conditions ensured impeccable health of the grape clusters right through to harvest. The Meunier reached generous ripeness by the end of August, with sufficient acidity to balance the richness of the concentrated sugars. The vintage gives rise to cuvées of solar amplitude and frank maturity.
Tasting notes
Appearance
The Blanc de Meunier 2018 cuvée has a luminous appearance. It displays a pale golden yellow colour with delicate copper highlights. The bead rises in a steady column along the glass.
Nose
The nose reveals an aromatic expression mellowed by extended ageing on lees. The first nose evokes scents of toasted almonds, leather and quince. With aeration, smoky and earthy notes become more defined. Delicate touches of ginger, cardamom, honey and mirabelle intertwine, finishing on pear and gentle spice.
Palate
The attack is marked by creamy, enveloping bubbles. The wine unfolds pulpy, fruity substance underpinned by noble bitterness. The chalky structure brings a vibrant tactile presence mid-palate, integrated with the woody foundation from barrel ageing. The tasting concludes with a persistent, saline and digestible finish.
Food pairing suggestions
- Salmon gravlax
- Homemade guacamole
- Tuna tataki
- Pan-fried gambas
- Pan-fried foie gras
- Braised veal sweetbreads
- Caramelised apples
- Pear mousse
- Aged Comté 24 months
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. Upon receipt, we recommend storing the bottle horizontally, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at the very least in a cool, not too dry location with a relatively stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The Blanc de Meunier 2018 from Leclerc Briant will continue to evolve in the bottle. Its acidic structure allows for ageing of approximately fifteen years from the vintage.
- Up to 2028: the cuvée develops indulgent secondary notes — candied quince, light brioche — derived from ageing.
- From 2029: the champagne expresses tertiary aromas of pastry, honey and gentle spice.
- Around 2033: the wine reveals frank roasted nuances — coffee, toasted hazelnut — linked to prolonged autolysis.
Serving suggestions
Serve this champagne at eleven degrees, after gradual chilling in an ice bucket. A wide tulip glass encourages the full aromatic expression of this black grape variety. Ten minutes of aeration in the glass will soften the texture on the palate.
A note on this cuvée
The domaine's story begins with a rejection of conventional practices: as early as the 1950s, the Leclerc family removed synthetic products from their vines. The technical team pushed experimentation further by analysing the influence of biodynamics on cellar fermentations. Rackings are sometimes carried out according to atmospheric pressure and the lunar calendar. This holistic approach, also illustrated by Leclerc Briant's expertise with Meunier, aims to express the mineral identity of the terroir without the use of oenological correction tools.
