Famille Mousse Champagne Brut Les Fortes Terres 2020

Name: Famille Mousse Champagne Brut Les Fortes Terres 2020
Brand: Skurnik Wines West [SWW]
SKU: SF-1-SWW--073026-27
Price: 129.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$129⁹⁹

Les Fortes Terres is the single parcel Cedric Mousse reserves for his most structured wine: old Meunier vines on the hilltop above Cuisles, where a shallow layer of green clay and limestone marl sits over chalk and the roots have to work for everything. It is 100% Meunier, the grape most of Champagne treats as a blending component and the Mousse family has spent generations arguing is a great variety in its own right. Fermented and aged in stainless steel with malolactic completed, then left on the lees for years before disgorgement with barely a trace of dosage, so the texture comes from time rather than sugar. 2020 was an early harvest across Champagne, picked clean and ripe at moderate alcohol, and the wine has the concentration to reward more cellaring. A fire destroyed the family's winery in the summer of 2026; everyone is safe, the Mousses are rebuilding, and these bottles were made long before it.

Shipping

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Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

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Antonio Galloni

92 points

"The 2020 Extra Brut Les Fortes Terres, 100% Meunier, hails from 40-year-old vines in Cuisles. Floral accents lift a core of dried pear and orchard fruit. Gently spiced overtones, almond, sage and a hint of ginger add intrigue as the 2020 opens in the glass. This delicate, airy Meunier is all charm. Dosage is 0.5 grams per liter." —Antonio Galloni

More about Famille Mousse

Pinot Meunier has always played "third fiddle" to Champagne's power couple, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Growers always liked having it around because it buds later than PN and Chard, which means it's less likely to be damaged by the late frosts that can hit Champagne so far north--especially in the Marne Valley. For growers it meant diversification.

For drinkers, on the other hand, it was an unglamorous variety that often came across as rustic or rough-edged. But that perception has been changing. Culty producers like Jerome Prevost and Raphael Bereche make highly sought-after Meunier-based wines. And even below the superstar level there's a whole generation of small growers who have started putting out really delicious Meunier-focused champagnes that don't break the bank.

Cedric Moussé is a classic example. When he took over the family estate in 2003 he was the 12th generation to run things. He practices organic farming and makes wines that are precise, savory, and bright-fruited, with no oak influence. They show Meunier's pretty side: purity of fruit, white flowers, subtle herbal tones, and they show its terroir transparency, with clear mineral signatures.

Wine Details

Grape Variety

Pinot Meunier
Vintage

2020
Size

750ml
Farming Practice

Organic
Style

Minerally
Sweetness

Dry
Body

Light Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast chicken with mushrooms, veal chop with morels, butter-poached lobster, or Comte aged two years.

Tasting Profile

White peach, raspberry and candied citrus with toasted almond and chalk. Medium to full-bodied for Champagne, with a fine soft mousse, bright acidity and a long dry finish.