Éric Taillet

Meunier as an identity, the soil as a guide

Based in Baslieux-sous-Châtillon, in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne, the estate was founded in 1961 and is now run by Éric Taillet, the fourth generation of passionate winegrowers. His philosophy is based on a strong conviction: to convey the energy of the soil through every bubble.

Meunier, the estate's emblematic grape variety, reigns supreme here — grown exclusively from very old vines on living soils of clay, limestone, flint and marl. For Éric Taillet, it embodies fruit, finesse, length on the palate and an exceptional aromatic range.

The vineyard is farmed with respect for living ecosystems: no herbicides or fertilisers, with ploughing, close mowing and organic matter inputs to encourage microbial life, deep rooting and water-retention capacity. Certified HVE and VDC, the estate also conducts various experiments: braided vines, plantings of forgotten grape varieties (Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier) and the integration of trees (600 beech trees) to promote biodiversity.

In the cellar, vinification is plot-by-plot, carefully considered and low-intervention: traditional wooden press, ageing in 400- to 600-litre barrels and stainless-steel tanks, with no filtration or cold stabilisation. The wines rest on fine lees, allowing their character to emerge without artifice. Part of the production is aged under technical cork, while the rest is aged under crown cap, always in pursuit of elegance and typicity.