Domaine Méa l'Assemblage Extra Brut NV

The clue's in the name - l'Assemblage is drawn from fruit grown in 27 of Domaine Méa's vineyard parcels across five Grand and Premier Cru villages. A 70/30 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it combines the power of the former with the freshness of the latter. While bone dry and bright and fresh on the nose, it has plenty of richness on the palate, showing red-apple fruit, citrus lift and a gentle brioche edge from nearly three years on lees. At just 3 g/l dosage, it's a finely made Extra Brut that shows both clarity and depth.

Its firmness and savoury edge make it spot-on with oysters, sashimi or smoked fish, but it's equally good as an aperitif when you want something brisk and precise.

Based in the Grand Cru village of Louvois in the Montagne de Reims, Domaine Méa is a small, family-run estate with seven hectares of vines across Grand and Premier Cru villages in the Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne. Five generations of the Méa family have farmed these chalk-rich slopes, now under the care of Sophie Méa and her husband Franck Moussie. Their organic approach avoids herbicides and pesticides, earning HVE certification, while supplying fruit to houses such as Bollinger adds another feather to their cap. For a modestly sized domaine, the quality of their fruit speaks volumes.