Flavien Nowack Champagne ‘Les Terres Bleues’ Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut 2020

Where: Champagne, France
Grapes: 100% Pinot Meunier
Body: Medium
Category: Sparkling Wine / Champagne 

From the importer: 

Organic. 100% Meunier. The top Pinot Meunier of the single-vineyard wines at Nowack, on sable and a particular fossil-rich limestone called terres bleues. The vineyard is planted at 180m, the very top of the best slope Flavien owns at his estate in Vandières, hence the bolded ‘Haut-côteau’ on the label. All fruit is from harvest 2020; 2 g/L dosage. Vinification is with fully spontaneous/natural yeasts; the base wine is unfined and unfiltered. Aging is done in small oak barrels. 2020, Flavien adds, was a bruisingly hot vintage with slightly lower acidity; as a result he’s chosen to do a dosage with this release to accent complexity and length.

ORGANIC  //  native yeasts  // minimal intervention 

NV (2020 Base)  //  750ml  

Flavien Nowack began refocusing his family's estate on single vintage, single parcel bottlings in 2011. Passionate that nothing should come between the purest expression of terroir, he farms organically, does not chaptalize and does not seek malo-lactic fermentation. He relies on the natural yeast of unfermented grape must as his prise de mousse for the secondary fermentation in bottle. As a result, these Champagnes are lower in pressure than is typical and underscores the vinous quality of these exceptionally soft and delicate wines. He does not chaptalize and does not seek malo-lactic fermentation. A young talent with a clear vision.