Benoît Déhu Cuvée La Rue des Noyers Non-Dosé Extra Brut - 2013 Base NV

Barrel-fermented meunier from La Rue des Noyers, and this is a wine with something to say. Stone fruit and white blossom give way to darker currents, cherry, damp earth, a brooding weight beneath. Skipping malolactic fermentation keeps the acidity wound tight, lending a chalky, firmly structured backbone that holds the wine's considerable heft together. There's a compelling push and pull between richness and restraint. A few more years will do it good, but it already commands attention.