Champagne Roger Coulon, 1er Cru Heri-Hodie Brut NV

The cuvée Heri Hodie comes from the vineyards of Vrigny, Pargny and Coulommes, all 1er Cru villages of the Montagne de Reims. Fermented and aged in cuve, the malolactic fermentation is completed, and the wine spent three years sur lattes. The majority of Meunier gives the perfect combination between fruity notes, strength, and lightness. They go for a softer mousse, opting for 5 bars of pressure rather than the standard 6. This gives a softer, more textural and integrated mousse.

Run by Eric and Isabelle Coulon (8th generation) and their children. They tend to 10.8-hectares of Premier Cru vineyards based around Vrigny, Coulommes-la-Montagne, Pargny-les-Reims and Villers-Allerand. Their vines are separated into over 100 well-selected parcels of older vines (averaging a high 38yo). Most of them are found mid-slope, exposed to the east, with soils varying from pure limestone chalk to deep sand over clay.

Eric learned the job with his grandfather, who has always stuck to the tried and tested methods of previous generations. They’ve always worked as naturally as possible, leaving grass cover in higher hillside plots to avoid erosion, plowing most of the land, and using manure as an amendment. They use natural yeasts, low yields, low sulfur, juice from the cuvée only (and sell on any subsequent pressings), followed by long bottle aging. All their champagnes are bottled with a lower pressure of five atmospheres as opposed to the usual six, resulting in an exceptional mousse with a subtle creamy texture.