Corps Simple by Patis Pluriels: 100% Meunier

Valentin Patis pours Corps Simple cold and lets the wine speak. The Meunier does the rest. The glass fills with acacia, white blossom and a touch of jasmine, followed by ripe pear and a green-pepper bite you do not expect from Champagne.

Fifth generation in the Marne Valley, La Croix de Verneuil parcel, fifty-year-old vines on clay and limestone. No Pinot Noir, no Chardonnay. This cuvée is one hundred percent Meunier; the variety usually cast as supporting act gets the lead role here.

How it’s made

• No added sulphites
• Brut nature, zero dosage
• Unfiltered
• Dry ice during fermentation instead of SO₂

Strict on paper, generous in the glass. The mousse is fine and integrated, never spiky. Acidity slices through the texture, the finish stays floral with a mineral tail.

At the table

Oysters, ceviche, white fish with citrus beurre blanc. Also good with fresh chèvre and a drizzle of honey. Skip the red meat; the acid prickle outpaces the plate.

For anyone willing to look past the big houses, Corps Simple is a direct line to what Meunier can do on its own. No marketing, no sugar; just the valley, old vines and a winemaker confident enough to add nothing.

More info at patispluriel.com.

Sources

• Comité Champagne (CIVC): champagne.fr
• INAO, Cahier des charges Champagne: inao.gouv.fr