Why it matters
The producer
Pinot Noir appears in every listed cuvée from Marc Hennequière. The independent grower works in the Côte des Bar and makes Champagne with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier alongside it across the range.
Marc is described as a self taught winemaker and is a member of Vignerons Indépendants, the association for independent Champagne producers. The wines move between multi grape Brut cuvées, a 100% Pinot Noir Brut, and a Brut Nature made without dosage.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Marc Hennequière belongs to the Côte des Bar wine region of Champagne. The regional address is paired with three grape varieties, each changing the fruit, body and balance of a sparkling wine. Brut and Brut Nature indicate different sweetness levels, while bottle fermentation creates the mousse associated with Champagne.
The Côte des Bar setting is expressed through a grower range rather than a single named vineyard. The bottles narrow the regional address through grape composition, cellar ageing and dosage.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Saints & Sinners is fermented in steel tank before its second fermentation in bottle, then spends 18 months on its lees. Lees are spent yeast cells, and their contact with the wine can soften the mousse and add bread, almond and fuller texture.
Cuvée Marie Nelly and Cuvée l'Obsidienne also spend 18 months in the cellar. Marie Nelly carries 10 g/L dosage, while l'Obsidienne carries 7 g/L. Dosage is the addition made after disgorgement, and its level changes the wine's final sweetness.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range has four cuvées. Saints & Sinners Brut combines 70% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier. Cuvée Marie Nelly Brut uses 75% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier together, with 25% Chardonnay.
Cuvée l'Obsidienne Brut is made from 100% Pinot Noir. Prémices is a Brut Nature split equally between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The bottles move from three grape varieties in one blend to single variety Pinot Noir and then to a zero dosage two grape cuvée.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Pour Saints & Sinners Brut first. It brings Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier into one Brut cuvée, with Pinot Noir in the lead and the other two varieties in supporting roles.