Description & elaboration
The Mer sur Mont 2016 cuvée by Rémi Leroy is a champagne crafted from old vines over 65 years of age, yielding highly concentrated grapes. It is a champagne with notes of mirabelle plum and candied fruit — with gentle spices that emerge after a few minutes of aeration. On the palate, the texture is full and vinous, carried through to a chalky finish. This is a confidential cuvée, produced from a plot of barely one hectare with a very low yield.
The Terroir
The lieu-dit Mer sur Mont covers 1.03 hectares in the Aube. This plot rests on the Portlandian geological plateau, which sits directly above the Kimmeridgian marls. The shallow clay-limestone soil contains a high proportion of white stones. This free-draining soil effectively removes excess rainwater. The slope's aspect ensures morning and midday sun exposure.
The vines, grown from mass selections, were planted in 1960. They are grafted onto the 3309C rootstock, particularly well suited to this stony substrate, which curbs vegetative vigour and promotes slow ripening. The estate applies environmentally respectful practices across this parcel.
These physical constraints result in sparse clusters. The natural yield sits at around 4,000 kilograms per hectare.
Winemaking
This historic plot brings together four co-planted grape varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Blanc. This blend creates a single-parcel assemblage of rare complexity.
The grapes are harvested at perfect ripeness and pressed as whole clusters, without prior destemming. Alcoholic fermentation is initiated by the estate's indigenous yeasts (naturally present on the grapes and in the cellar). The musts ferment exclusively in oak barrels, after which malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharp acidity into a softer acidity) occurs naturally. The wine undergoes neither fining nor filtration.
Rémi Leroy works with a very low sulphur dosage. Bottle ageing takes place under a 24 mm cork (the traditional closure using a natural cork held in place by a metal staple, in place of the usual crown cap). This choice requires manual disgorgement à la volée. It is a method that delivers slower aromatic development and finer bubbles. This cuvée falls within the category of non-dosé champagnes.
The 2016 vintage
The year 2016 put the Côte des Bar vineyard to the test. Late spring frosts hit the Meurville area, destroying a portion of the young buds. A prolonged period of rainfall followed, encouraging the development of vine diseases.
From August onwards, the climate turned dry and warm. This late-season heat reignited ripening and concentrated sugars throughout September.
The Pinot Noirs benefited particularly from this late sunshine, delivering a dense and structured character. The Chardonnays retained their acidic backbone, essential to the wine's balance. This demanding vintage yields a fleshy wine, underpinned by a beautiful freshness.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
The colour presents a deep gold with copper highlights. Delicate effervescence feeds a continuous bead along the glass.
Nose
The first nose opens on aromas of ripe yellow fruits. With aeration, subtle notes of roasted almond and pastry begin to emerge.
Palate
The attack is marked by a full and vinous texture. The absence of added sugar gives way to an extended chalky finish.
Food Pairing Suggestions
- Aged comté gougères
- Bellota ham
- Button mushrooms
- Pan-fried veal sweetbreads
- Rosemary roast chicken
- Pork tenderloin
- Farmhouse Chaource
- 24-month aged Comté
- Warm Tarte Tatin
The Plus de Bulles Expert's Opinion
Why I love it
The vinosity and depth of this 2016 won me over completely. I love its delicate bubble, with notes of gentle spice and dried fruit, carried through to a finish of remarkable salinity.
My recommendation
Serve at 10–11 °C in a wine glass to reveal its vinous character, ideally alongside chicken with morel mushrooms.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. After delivery, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, 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 Mer sur Mont 2016 cuvée by Rémi Leroy has a structure well suited to ageing, with a cellaring potential of approximately 15 to 20 years.
- Until 2028: the profile releases notes of candied citrus and ripe yellow fruits.
- From 2029: the aromatics evolve towards indulgent notes of pastry and toasted almond.
- Around 2034: the wine reaches its peak with tertiary notes of undergrowth and gentle spices.
Serving suggestions
This vinous champagne calls for a serving temperature of around 11 °C. A wide-bowled glass is recommended to allow aeration. This shape encourages the expression of the aromas developed during the long barrel ageing.
An anecdote about this cuvée
The lieu-dit Mer sur Mont is a testament to the Aube's winemaking heritage. The 1960 plantings display an asymmetric geometric layout. Short pruning limits the crop load on each vine, and this configuration makes the use of mechanical equipment impossible. All work on the rocky soil is carried out entirely by hand.
This physical constraint demands a constant human presence. This dedication is equally evident in Rémi Leroy's rosé cuvée, produced using the same single-parcel approach.
Co-planting was once the norm across the Champagne appellation area. Growers of old would mix varieties to ensure a minimum harvest. Today, this method enhances the gustative depth of the must.
The intensity is reminiscent of the construction found in this emblematic blanc de blancs from the estate. These time-honoured methods honour the agricultural heritage of the Aube's winegrowers.
