Base 2019. Disgorged November 2022. This exceptionally fine Blanc de Noirs is drawn from the prized lieu-dit of Les Rouges Maisons, sited on the mid-slope of the Chavot hill. The Pinot Noir vines here were planted in 1983 on a deep soil rich in clay, flint and schist. The wine was made from a single four-tonne press of grapes, which fermented naturally and matured in old Clos des Epeneaux and Leroux barrels.
Aged for 18 months sur lattes (in bottle on lees), Les Rouges Maisons is a pure vintage wine, 2019 in this case, and bottled with just 2 g/L dosage. The acidity is firmer here than the Meunier Blanc de Noirs (Vignes d'Autrefois), with a chewy austerity typical of Pinot Noir grown in limestone in Champagne. Fine and poised on the palate with impressive balance, racy freshness and fine chalk-infused bitters that drive a long, sapid finish—it's an outstanding Blanc de Noirs.