Champagne Brut Nature
Hommage Parcellaire Les Roches 2017

The Champagne Les Roches by André Heucq tells a vivid story of the bond between the Maison and the clay hillsides of Jonquery, a small village in the Vallée de la Marne where Meunier finds one of its most authentic and site-driven expressions. Part of the Hommage Parcellaire collection, a limited series of single-plot vintage Champagnes, this cuvée comes from the parcel that gives it its name. It reflects an artisanal approach that puts the soil, the single vineyard and the truest voice of the terroir first.

This edition, Vintage 2017, is a Blanc de Noirs made only from Meunier grapes grown on clay soils, which give the wine depth, breadth and a marked mineral character. Vinification and maturation in fût de chêne add complexity and a more enveloping texture without ever masking the purity of the fruit. After tirage, the wine rests on its lees for at least 72 months and is released with no final dosage, in the Brut Nature style, so the richness of this genuine Champagne de Terroir comes through unfiltered.

On tasting, Les Roches 2017 shows a pale golden colour with a fine, lively effervescence. The nose already shows maturity and great personality, with stone fruits such as mirabelle plum and Reine Claude woven together with praline and ladyfinger biscuit. As it opens, these give way to hints of yellow peach and pastry. On the palate the attack is soft and opens onto an airy, sparkling texture, with a fluid, relaxed body carried by a sharp vivacity and a balance made even clearer by the absence of added sugar. The finish is long, precise and deeply mineral, with subtle earthy tones, a pleasant bitterness and a saline close of remarkable persistence. Total production amounts to 3,300 bottles.