Champagne Leriche 100% Meunier Brut NV

The Wine 

Incredible value for characterful and authentic grower champagne.

100% Pinot Meunier with a massive 40% reserve wine and beautifully judged 6 grams dosage. Spends a substantial 30 months on lees.

Rich and aromatic with wild strawberries, stone fruit and lovely orange zest and chalky finish. Shows exactly why these Meunier champagnes are becoming so fashionable. Yum!

The Producer 

This was the very first visit on my recent June trip. Straight from the plane after a 24 hour flight for a 10AM meeting. I had been told about the estate from the UK importer and had no expectations whatever. After one glass of Meunier and drive around the vineyards i was sold. And thats before Isabelle told me the price....

The estate began in the late 19th century with just a few rows of wines. 4 generations later and it is Isabelle Moulin-Leriche and her husband Benjamin Moulin who are taking things forward. They are now joined by their sons Gaspard and Antonin.

The estate spans approximately 7 hectares, all in the village of Vandieres. This little villages on the right bank of the Marne is home to some exceptional old Pinot Meunier vines, and that is the backbone of the domaine.

The flagship cuvee here is the 100% Meunier. Its just a delicious mouthfull of beautiful Meunier fruit. Bags of stone fruit and wild strawberries with a perfectly judged 6g dosage. It also avoids the softness that sometimes comes with Meunier champagne and that is down to the substantial 40% reserve wine employed. Base year is 2022 with reserve from 21 and 20. 24 months on lees and disgorged in January 2026.

It all adds up to something you don’t see everyday. A small grower champagne with no hype, just beautifully made wines at prices that seem almost too good to be true. Please give them a try!