Emmanuel Brochet makes some of the most sought-after Champagnes produced by any Grower today. Some producers specialize in specific AOCs, or specific villages. Emmanuel Brochet specializes in single hill. His entire holdings — a tiny 2.5 hectares — lie on it. That hill is called Mont Benoit. It is covered in chalk, but also a layer of silt and a layer of clay. These soils seem to work together to offer up a range of options to the Grower, and Brochet elects to produce an equal mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. With such small holdings, Emmanuel is able to do everything by hand and to employ extreme artisanal methods. He farms organically, and is certified. He uses a traditional vertical press, very little SO2, and strictly natural fermentations — even for the secondary fermentation in bottle, the one that produces those bubbles! We first discovered Brochet the old-fashioned way: the importer brought us a sample, and we could see right away that the wine was special, with its mix of taut minerality up front and broad earthiness on the back.
Details
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Grape Variety
Pinot Meunier
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Vintage
NV
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Organic
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Light Bodied
Champagne
Champagne boasts some of the world’s greatest luxury brands with Krug, Cristal and, of course, Dom Perignon. But it’s also home to hundreds of small dynamic producers—farmers who grow their own grapes (often organically) and make (often with natural methods) tiny amounts of pure and absolutely delicious wine that reflect the individual personalities of their villages and terroirs. Toast with these wines, for sure. But also treat them like the great wines they are: taste, drink, explore!
