Champagne Christophe Mignon

Vallée De La Marne

The wines of Christophe Mignon reflect an exciting new trend in Grower's Champagne in which we're seeing organic/biodynamic farming practices, picking later to achieve better phenolic ripeness leading to less or no dosage required, and low intervention winemaking techniques such as spontaneous fermentations and minimal sulphur additions. What does this mean, exactly? The wines tend to have more pure fruit aromatics, sharper minerality, and an overall fresher style that directly corresponds to the terroir. 

Mignon is located in Vallée de la Marne, where Pinot Meunier is the star and is very well suited to the deep clay and chalky Tuffeaux soils of Mignon's 6ha of vines located in the hamlet of Le-Mesnil-le-Huttier, 20kms west of Epernay. The vines are farmed according to the "Mignon Method" which is a unique blend of biodynamics, phytotherapy, homeopathy, and geobiology. For the last 20 years, he has strictly adhered to the Lunar calendar both in the field and cellar. He believes "the moon for the vigneron is like a metronome for the musician" Thus through working with the lunar cycle greater harmony is achieved in all aspects of farming and wine making. One person is assigned to one hectare which contributes to lower yields and the grapes are picked at ideal ripeness, directly impacting the quality of the wines. In the cellar, the wine is all vinified separately according to terroir with ambient yeasts in temperature-controlled tanks for 15-30 days and reserve wine is kept in oak foudre. The wine is kept on lees for 24 months, bottled with minimal sulphur and zero to minimal dosage is used. 

All this may sound esoteric and steeped in complex agricultural philosophies, but at the end of the day, Mignon wants these wines to be drunk for pure enjoyment. Yes, these wines are layered and textural with all the nuanced complexities to be expected from wine of this calibre, yet at the same time, these wines are fun, pleasurable, and easy to drink.