Francis Boulard, "Champagne, 'Les Murgiers' Brut Nature" 2020 [1.5L - MAG]

84% Meunier/6% Pinot Noir/10% Chardonnay. "Les Murgiers" is the beginning of the Boulard range and takes its name from the traditional vineyard walls built from river stones dug up to make way for planting (and alternatively spelled murgets, murgers, meurgers or meurgiers). The heart of the wine is always Meunier, mainly from 6 west-facing parcels in the Vallée de la Marne, west of Cumières in the commune of Paradis. The average age of Boulard`s 1.2 hectares here is 35 years but some of the vines go back to family plantings in 1964. The farming is certified-organic with biodynamic practices, a complete rarity in the area. The heavy clay-limestone soils are hard to work and especially suitable for Meunier.

Harvest is by hand and at high ripeness. Each parcel is vinified separately. The whole bunches are gently pressed (with the only tiny bit of sulfur the wine will see) and, unusually, only the free-run (first-press) juice is used. It is fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in wood. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged with a monthly batônnage in used Burgundy barrels for 6 months. It is bottled on biodynamic "fruit days" with no fining and no sulfur. The bottles are riddled and disgorged by hand, in the case of the 2021-base Murgiers in December 2023. The wine received no dosage.