Les Freres Mignon, Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, Cuis 2017 - 75cl

Cuis sits on the northern edge of the Côte des Blancs, a Premier Cru village whose Chardonnay tends to keep its nerve and acidity. Florent and Julien Mignon farm here, and this 2017 Blanc de Blancs comes off a single south-facing parcel planted back in 1974 — old vines, low yields, and only 1,781 bottles made.

This is grower Champagne in the truest sense: family fruit, family hands, a single-vintage bottling rather than a blended house style. The 2017 season gave ripe Chardonnay that still held its line, and the Mignons have dosed it barely at all — around 1.6 grams, so Extra Brut shading towards bone dry. That leaves the fruit and the site exposed, which is the whole point.

The nose is unusual and worth sitting with: lemon and green apple first, then a savoury, almost creamy note the growers themselves liken to polenta, with a thread of blossom honey from time on the lees. The palate is bright and mineral, citrus running straight through to a chalky, saline finish. There is grip and length here, not weight — a wine that rewards attention.

Open it now with food, or hold a few years; the low dosage means it should age with poise.

How to Serve

Serve at 9-10°C. A white-wine glass beats a flute for a wine this detailed — you will catch the honey and chalk you would otherwise miss. Pull the cork gently and let it breathe in the glass.

Where to Drink It

J Sheekey, St Martin's Court — seafood and fine Blanc de Blancs. Noble Rot Soho, Greek Street — grower-friendly by the glass. The Wolseley, Piccadilly — an apéritif before dinner.

Food Pairings

Dover sole, or a plate of langoustines with lemon.