Presentation
Rooted in the Marne Valley since 1743, the Grumier family cultivates the vine with exigency and passion. Today led by Fabien and Hélène Grumier, the estate combines ancestral know-how and modern precision to produce expressive, tense, and full-bodied champagnes. The vineyard extends over 8 hectares, with a Marne dominance that gives the wines beautiful freshness and affirmed structure. The cultivated grape varieties are 60% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, with an assumed desire to reveal the potential of Meunier, a historical grape variety of the region. The estate's approach is based on sustainable viticulture, certified High Environmental Value, and meticulous work in the cellar. The base wines ferment in small thermoregulated stainless steel tanks and oak barrels, with little or no malolactic fermentation to preserve the tension and vivacity of the wines. The reserve wines, carefully stored in oak foudres, bring depth and complexity to the blends. Each cuvée benefits from prolonged aging on lees, allowing the development of fine and silky mousse, with a delicate patina in the mouth. The dosage is measured, often in extra-brut or brut nature, to reveal the pure expression of the terroir. Maurice Grumier champagnes also stand out for the richness of their informative back labels, detailing precisely:
The exact blend (proportion of Meunier, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir)
The dominant vintage and reserve wines used
The type of aging (stainless steel, barrels, foudres) and the duration on lees
The precise dosage (Brut, Extra-Brut, Brut Nature)
The disgorgement date, essential to appreciate the evolution of the wine
A unique style: tension and fullness in perfect harmony
Maurice Grumier champagnes are tailored for gastronomy. They combine a chiseled attack, vibrant acidity, and ample matter, offering fullness in the mouth that stretches into a long and saline finish.
Each cuvée tells a story:
L’Intemporelle, a refined blend combining tension and vinosity
L'Authentique, with its barrel aging that magnifies the texture
The Blanc de Noirs, where Meunier expresses all its power and gourmandise
The vintages, signatures of the estate, with subtle balances between fruit and evolution
The Maurice Grumier signature: vibrant, precise champagnes, carried by mineral tension and an enchanting texture, destined for lovers of characterful wines.
Location
The result of four generations of winemaking expertise, this Champagne embodies the heritage of the Grumier family. The Blanc de Noirs is the perfect expression of our family’s terroir and the remarkable vineyards of the Vallée de la Marne. This blend, primarily composed of Pinot Meunier with Pinot Noir, offers a deliciously juicy Champagne with crunchy fruit in its Brut version, and refined finesse and tension in its Extra-Brut style. Ideal for apéritifs, this great Champagne is crafted to appeal to a broad audience.
Terroir
Champagne Maurice Grumier Les Plates Pierres Brut originates from parcels planted on particularly rich and complex soils, typical of the Côte des Bar. This terroir is based on deep limestone mixed with mineral-rich clays, providing excellent drainage and natural water regulation for the vines. The optimized exposure of the slopes allows for harmonious grape ripening, enhancing the full aromatic expression of the Champagne grape varieties. The clay-limestone subsoil lends the wine fine minerality, elegant tension, and delicate structure—key elements that define the identity of this cuvée. The interplay between soil, climate, and grape varieties gives the wine a distinctive aromatic precision and a deep connection to its origin.
In the vineyard
The estate practices responsible and sustainable viticulture, eschewing systematic interventions in favor of a careful and measured approach. Natural grass cover is controlled and the soil is regularly tilled, while daily observation guides every decision relating to vine care. Biodiversity is preserved at the edges and boundaries of the plots, and the vines benefit from rigorous pruning and meticulous trellising. Finally, the timing of the harvest is carefully chosen, based on the organoleptic balance of the grapes, in order to guarantee the quality and expression of the terroir in each bottle.
Harvest
At the Maurice Grumier estate, the harvest is a demanding and precise moment in the heart of the wine-growing season. Each bunch is harvested by hand, with particular attention paid to the ripeness and balance of the grapes, in order to preserve the aromatic richness and freshness of the fruit. The winegrowers' rigorous work, respectful of the terroir, allows them to select only the best plots, thus guaranteeing the finesse and elegance of the cuvées. These harvests, moments of meticulousness and passion, are the first step in a process where tradition and expertise combine to reveal the authenticity and personality of the estate's champagnes.
Winemaking
Winemaking at the estate is based on a gentle, hands-off approach, guided by simple but rigorous principles. Pressing is carried out delicately, separating the first press, or “tête de cuvée,” while the other fractions are vinified separately. Fermentation takes place in small temperature-controlled vats adapted to each plot, or in 228-liter oak barrels, with bâtonnage for wood aging. Malolactic fermentation is not systematic in vats and occurs spontaneously in barrels. Tastings and blending are carried out with a constant focus on preserving the taste, style, and personality of each cuvée, complemented by extended aging of 2 to 10 years depending on the wine. Riddling, either manual or using a gyropalette, and dosage tailored to each cuvée complete this approach, which is always geared towards the purest expression of the terroir.
Ageing
Champagne Les Plates Pierres Brut is aged for 8 years on fine lees in bottle, following the traditional Champagne method. This extended maturation refines the mousse, enriches the texture, and enhances the wine's aromatic complexity. The dosage is kept low to preserve the purity of the fruit. The result is a balanced, elegant, and expressive cuvée.
Varietals
Chardonnay : 65%
Pinot Noir : 35%
Specifications
Age of vines : 35 years old
Serving
Serve at 10°C (50°F).
Ageing potential
3 to 5 years
Tasting
The Champagne displays a bright, satiny, and slightly fluid appearance, with a pale straw-yellow color highlighted by soft, deep yellow reflections in the glass. It is animated by fine, lively bubbles that form a delicate bead. The visual impression suggests a rich and nuanced wine. The first nose is fragrant, revealing notes of rose, acacia, and honeysuckle, intertwined with lemon, pear, and mirabelle plum. As the Champagne opens up, aromas of grapefruit, brioche, toasted bread, licorice, and orange emerge, evolving toward raspberry, blackberry, almond, hawthorn, white peach, and coconut, with subtle hints of chalk and flint. The palate is clean and fresh, with a creamy, well-integrated effervescence. The Champagne develops a juicy and crisp fruit character, highlighted by a taut, citrusy acidity. The mid-palate is driven by a clay-chalk minerality that brings clarity, salinity, length, chewiness, and fruit resonance. The measured dosage maintains this balance, leading to a pure, vibrant finish marked by lemony and orangey freshness, lifted by a touch of citrus bitterness and a hint of vinosity.
At Nose
The first nose is fragrant, offering notes of rose, acacia, and honeysuckle, mingled with lemon, pear, and mirabelle plum.
Upon aeration, it reveals additional layers of grapefruit, brioche, toasted bread, licorice, orange, followed by raspberry, blackberry, almond, hawthorn, white peach, coconut, and hints of chalk and flint.
On the Palate
The entry is clean and fresh, with a creamy, integrated effervescence. The Champagne develops a pulpy, crisp fruit texture supported by a well-defined lemony acidity.
The mid-palate is structured around a clay-chalk minerality that lends clarity, salinity, and length, with tactile chewiness and fruit-driven resonance.
The dosage is perfectly balanced, preserving the wine’s harmony in a pure and vibrant finish marked by citrus (lemon and orange) freshness, subtly lifted by citrus peel bitterness and a hint of vinosity.
Food pairings
Maurice Grumier Les Plates Pierres Brut pairs elegantly with a wide range of dishes, thanks to its freshness, vibrancy, and aromatic depth. It is a perfect match for fine de claire oysters, where its mineral tension enhances the briny flavors. Its versatility shines with roasted chicken supreme and morel mushrooms, as the wine’s structure beautifully complements the creamy texture of the dish. For a more exotic touch, it elevates a sea bass ceviche with citrus zest, the liveliness of the food echoing the champagne’s freshness. On the sweeter side, it pairs delicately with a lemon meringue tart, a red fruit vacherin, or a vanilla panna cotta, where its fine bubbles balance sweetness and acidity. Refined pairings that highlight the finesse and versatility of this exceptional cuvée.
