Mousse Terre d'Illite

Grapes: Meunier + Pinot Noir

Region: Vallee de la Marne, Champagne, France

Vintage: 2017

Viticulture: Organic

Soils: Illite - green clay

Yeasts: Nativ

Vinification: Fermented in stainless steel

Aging: 50 months on the lees in bottle

Fining or Filtering: Disgorged

Dosgae: 2 g/l

Notes from the Importer: A grower since 1750, Champagne Moussé sits in the village of Cuisles, in a valley perpendicular to the Vallée de la Marne. This side valley has a unique soil in Champagne: a schist subsoil under clay. While Pinot Meunier often struggles to be taken seriously in Champagne, at Moussé, Pinot Meunier is celebrated. 80% of the vines planted are Meunier, with the balance planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This agency is the first member of Club Trésors de Champagne to make a Spécial Club wine of 100% Pinot Meunier and the first Club member to produce a Rosé de Saignée SpécialClub. In the vineyards, Cedric Moussé adheres to a ‘lutte raisonée’ approach. He practices organic viticulture, using herbal infusions that act as ‘vitamins’ for the vines, cover crops, zero pesticides, and minimal doses of heavy metals like copper. His new winery, completed in 2012 may be deceiving; the modern facility leads us to believe this is a new operation. Solar panels power the cellar, tasting room, and 2 houses on the property, while geothermal energy moderates temperature throughout the winery. An underground spring provides enough water for irrigation on the farm. Moussé works almost exclusively in stainless steel, with the exception of a small amount of Pinot Meunier destined for his rosé. All cuvées undergo malolactic fermentation. The resulting wines seem to gush with red and dark fruits characteristic of Pinot Meunier, and a structured, saline minerality.