Champagne Marie Courtin Resonance Extra Brut

Dominique Moreau named her estate after her grandmother, Marie Courtin, whom she describes as a woman of the earth, a fitting tribute to a producer whose entire philosophy is rooted in an intimate, almost spiritual relationship with the land. Based in Polisot in the southern Aube, Dominique farms a single 2.5-hectare plot of east-facing vines on clay and Kimmeridgian limestone soils, the same ancient seabed geology that gives Chablis its renowned tension and minerality. She has farmed biodynamically since the 2005 vintage, using pendulums as part of her evaluation of the vine and wine's energetic state, and vinifies exclusively with native yeasts and zero dosage. Her Champagnes have been celebrated by leading critics for over a decade as some of the most singular and terroir-driven expressions in the entire region. Resonance takes its name from what Dominique describes as the balancing energies of earth and sky that shape a wine from its surrounding terroir. The fruit comes from massale selection vines aged 35 to 40 years, sourced from the top of the slope in Polisot where thin topsoil over limestone forces the vines to work hard, concentrating character and intensity. Primarily Pinot Noir, with the field blend occasionally including a small proportion of the historic Pinot Blanc. Both fermentations are carried out in stainless steel using native yeasts, and the wine spends 24 months on the lees before disgorgement with no added dosage whatsoever. The 2022 base brings a slightly rounder character than in past years, while retaining the electric, chiseled quality that defines the Marie Courtin style. The nose is bright and complex, offering lime, white cherry, brioche, green apple, and wild raspberry, underpinned by a striking saline, chalky minerality. On the palate, site dominates over variety in the most compelling way: vivid acidity, crushed stone, and a brine-laced intensity that upends all expectations of Pinot Noir. The finish is long, nervy, and persistent. A profoundly individual Champagne that rewards both immediate drinking and further cellaring.