Remi Leroy is one of the leading lights in Champagne’s southeastern region of the Aube, a mid-size grower, producing around 60,000 bottles per year. Here, at Meurville, Leroy farms around 8ha on Jurassic clay-limestone soils, predominantly Pinot Noir (70%), then Chardonnay (20%), and Meunier (10%). Leroy is gradually increasing the proportion of Chardonnay during replantings, and the aim is at least 30%.

Farming here is along organic principles, though not certified. The goal is to naturally reduce yields to promote ripeness and fruit health, giving concentration in aroma, and minerality. De-budding and de-stalking are done, as well as ploughing and grassing of the rows to ensure healthy soils.

Indigenous yeasts, and just the minimum of sulphur is the target, and the modern winery is set up to work by gravity, without pumping.

The high quality of fruit, and precision in primary fermentation and ageing of the wines was evident during a visit in May 2022, with an impressive tasting of base and reserve wines, from small stainless steel tanks, and Burugndy barrels. There is healthy ripness, but also mineral tension here. Longer ageing on lees than usual is the model here, along with low dosage at disgorgement.

The Brut Nature, is a blend that follows the plantings fairly closely – 65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Meunier, it has the depth of Champagne made with fully ripe fruit, as well as extended ageing, and the use of reserve wines. It’s gives vinous Champagne experience.

The Blanc de Noirs is from Pinot Noir especially selected for precision of expression. It sees extended ageing on lees. It is fresh and lively in style, with a precise mineral tension, and some salinity felt on the finish.

The Blanc de Blancs, 100% from Chardonnay grapes, gives the purity and fine-boned expression of the grape on clay-limestone soils. While the edges are rounded and ripe, this is a chiseled-feeling blanc de blancs, super bright and clear.

Les Crots Rose de Saignée is a very special small production cuvée. It comes from a mid-slope, southeast-facing Pinot Noir vineyard, Les Crots, that always gives particularly good ripe fruit. The base wine is made with the saignée, or “bleeding” method where all of the must is in extended contact with the skins to create the rosé colour (rather than adding red wine to white wine later on), and in this case that is quite a deep ruby from longer maceration. The result is a really individual wine, with deep colour, plenty of ripe red fruits, and a touch of fine bittersweet herbs. It is a gastronomic wine.