# Eugène Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut (NV)

- **Producer:** Champagne Famille Moussé
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €44
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** orange, pear, peach, plum, apple, strawberry, lemon, ginger, brioche, pastry, almond, honey

## About this wine

Champagne Famille Moussé has a grape-growing lineage in Cuisles dating back to 1629. In 1923, founder Eugène Moussé made the pivotal decision to begin bottling Champagnes under the family name. During World War II, Eugène served in the French Resistance before tragically dying in a concentration camp in 1945. Today, fourth-generation vigneron Cédric Moussé leads the domain, having transformed it into one of Champagne's leading sustainable grower producers. Sourced from estate vineyards in Cuisles, Jonquery, and Châtillon-sur-Marne, the cuvée 'Eugène' was renamed to mark the estate's 2023 centenary and honors the legacy of Cédric's great-grandfather. The unique terroir in Cuisles features a rare band of illite green clay over marl and sand, providing distinct tension and textural depth.

## Interesting facts

- Founder Eugène Moussé was a French Resistance fighter during World War II who died in a concentration camp in 1945.
- The wine relies on a perpetual reserve system started in 2003, refreshed annually with 50% to 73% of new harvest wine.
- Vineyards sit on a rare band of illite green clay in Cuisles, giving Pinot Meunier remarkable elegance and mineral tension.
- The eco-friendly winery utilizes solar and geothermal energy, lightweight bottles, and sheep for vineyard grazing.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity, dry Extra Brut dosage, and rich autolytic depth of this Blanc de Noirs effortlessly slice through fatty textures like pork rillettes and rich seafood while beautifully pairing with delicate salinity.

## Wine making process

Composed of 80% Pinot Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir, this cuvée is crafted using a perpetual reserve system initiated in 2003. Each release combines 50% to 73% base harvest wine with reserve wines dating back to 2003. Vinification takes place entirely in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats to preserve pure fruit intensity without oak influence. The wine undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation and is bottled with minimal sulfur additions (~17 mg/L total SO2). It ages sur latte in bottle for at least 18 months prior to disgorgement, receiving a minimal Extra Brut dosage between 0 and 3 g/L.