4 éléments Pinot Meunier, La Grosse Pierre, Extra Brut 2018
A single-varietal terroir Champagne from the single vineyard site La Grosse Pierre in the Montagne de Reims – dry, precise and a rare portrait of the often underestimated Pinot Meunier.
Juicy red and yellow fruit – mirabelle plum, apple, a hint of pear – alongside floral notes and a delicate herbal spiciness.
Palate
Dry and taut, with vibrant fruit, chalky minerality and a slender, precise finish.
Character
Purist and honest – a Champagne that reveals the juicy fruit of Meunier without disguise while possessing both elegance and depth.
Pairing
Ideal with oysters and seafood, crispy oven-roasted chicken or mature hard cheeses such as Comté.
Notes
Part of the 4-Éléments series: each grape variety comes from a single parcel and is aged separately – thus the Pinot Meunier from La Grosse Pierre becomes a rare soloist rather than a mere contributor to a blend, vinified by brothers François and Pierre Huré, the third generation.
Tasting note
Character
A single-varietal Pinot Meunier from a single parcel – in Champagne, this is the exception rather than the rule. If you taste the Huré brothers’ series side by side, you will discover what usually remains hidden within the blend: the Meunier brings the juicy fruit, the drive and the immediacy. As an Extra Brut, the 2018 vintage shows itself taut, precise and without any flattering dosage sweetness – a Champagne that lets the terroir speak.
Terroir & Origin
The grapes come from the La Grosse Pierre parcel, part of the ten hectares of Premier Cru vineyards that the family cultivates in Ludes and Villedommange on the Montagne de Reims. Ludes, on the eastern side of the ridge, yields elegant, age-worthy wines thanks to its calcareous-clay soils; Villedommange, on the western side, contributes richness and balance. These are vineyard sites that the house has tended itself for generations – by people who know their vines.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Pinot Meunier, traditionally the underestimated third grape variety of Champagne, is taken seriously here: one parcel, one variety, vinified separately. The principle behind the 4 Éléments series is radically simple – instead of blending, it isolates what each element contributes. François Huré, who has been working in the cellar since 2008, studied in Dijon and learned his craft from Jean-Pierre Fleury, the pioneer of biodynamics in Champagne; his brother Pierre has looked after the vineyards since 2013. The result is a vintage Champagne at 12.0% ABV, dry and straightforward.
Food Pairings
The juicy fruit of the Meunier can handle substance on the plate: pan-roasted chicken, mushroom tart, mature Comté or charcuterie. It is also a safe choice with tuna tartare or a rustic pâté en croûte. Best served not ice-cold and in a generously shaped glass – this Champagne wants to be drunk like a wine.
