Suenen 'La Grande Vigne' Pinot Meunier Extra Brut, Champagne, France 2019

"La Grande Vigne" Pinot Meunier Extra Brut 2019 is a rare and distinctive single-vineyard Champagne that showcases Aurélien Suenen's meticulous, terroir-focused approach beyond the Côte des Blancs' famed Chardonnay. Sourced from the historic La Grande Vigne parcel and crafted exclusively from Pinot Meunier, this limited-production cuvée is fermented with native yeasts, aged extensively on the lees, and finished with a restrained Extra Brut dosage to preserve its purity and sense of place. The outstanding 2019 vintage offers expressive aromas of ripe orchard fruit, yellow plum, baked apple, citrus zest, white flowers, toasted brioche, and subtle spice, underscored by delicate chalky minerality. The palate is rich yet beautifully focused, balancing generous texture with vibrant acidity and a long, savory, mineral-driven finish. Complex, energetic, and exceptionally uncommon, La Grande Vigne is a compelling expression of Pinot Meunier that will delight Champagne enthusiasts seeking something truly distinctive.

"The old-vine 2019 Pinot Meunier Montigny-sur-Vesle La Grande Vigne, disgorged in June 2025 with a dosage of 2.4 grams per liter, stands among the more light-footed wines in Suenen’s 2019 lieux-dits lineup. Harvested on the relatively early side—on September 14—it reflects a deliberate choice to preserve sound fruit, given the variety’s inherently soft skins. The wine emerges from the glass with notes of white currant, quince and yellow apple mingled with dried flowers, leading into a medium-bodied, taut and racy palate with a saline profile and mouthwatering acidity that carries through to a persistent finish. Readers will recall that this cuvée derives from ungrafted vines planted in 1969 on deep sandy soils, where the roots never penetrate the underlying chalk bedrock." Wine Advocate 94