Apollonis 'Monodie' Vielles Vignes '13

What to expect

- Made with vines dating back to 1942 and aged using classical music

- This is a powerful and expressive style of Meunier with plenty of character

- Pair with richer dishes like spiced pork ribs or a classic paella.

"The finest wine of the estate, though, is the Pinot Meunier Vieilles Vignes, now renamed as Monodie en Meunier Majeur. First made in the 2002 vintage, this vintage-dated, single-vineyard meunier is sourced from three different parcels of vines in L’Arpent (which is really called Dessus le Bois des Châtaigniers on official maps of Festigny), planted in 1942, 1962 and 1966, respectively.

Both the Authentic Meunier and the Monodie Vieilles Vignes are outstanding examples of pure meunier in their different and respective ways, making Loriot one of the reference points for meunier in the Marne." Peter Liem.

Technical details: Expect notes of pastry, spice and red fruits that meld into creamy and smokey notes. This has great intensity and depth of flavour that will last long after you have tasted it. Take a minute, sit back and listen to vinous music being played back to you.

About the House

The Michel Loriot range of champagnes bears the name champagne Apollonis. Found in the small village of Festigny, the Apollonis estate owns 7 hectares of vines comprising 20 or so separate plots planted for the most part with pinot meunier (80%), some chardonnay (18%) and a little pinot noir (2%). The estate has been awarded the high environmental value (HVE) certificate, the highest award recognizing respect and care for the land, the environment and its biodiversity.

Festigny has relatively chalky soils for the Vallee de la Marne and the village itself lies in the warm valley, fully exposed to the sun. Within this valley is a solitary hill upon which the best vineyards of the village are located. With its steep slopes and a crown of trees on top, it is almost reminiscent of the hill of Corton in burgundy.

The majority of this domaine’s vineyards are found surrounding this hill, planted on steep slopes in clay rich in marl and limestone. Only natural fertilizers are used to treat the vineyards (it’s been over a decade since Michel has eradicated all use of herbicides). Michel firmly believes that getting things right in the vineyard allows healthy grapes to be harvested, which enables minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Production is a mere 300 000 bottles a year.

Music in champagne

"Loriot’s wines show a rich vinosity, expressing the characters of both the meunier grape and of this section of the Marne’s left bank. They tend to be substantial wines, as might be expected from these clay soils, yet they also demonstrate a lively finesse and prominent acidity.

As of late 2012, Michel Loriot, an aficionado of classical music, has unveiled a new branding scheme for the estate, with labels reflecting a musical theme. Music plays a role in the aging of the wines as well—Loriot believes that its vibrations make a positive contribution to the texture and finesse of the wine as it ages, and he has installed speakers throughout his cellars. Along with the rebranding, he has renamed all of his cuvées as well, and the new collection comprises eight champagnes, grouped into three categories: Les Classiques, Les Mutines and Les Virtuoses." Peter Liem