Who makes it
Champagne Dourdon Vieillard is a family vineyard house in Reuil, working clay limestone parcels spread between rivers and plateaux. Meunier has a central place in the range, appearing as a blanc de noirs, in an oak matured cuvée, and alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The house works across several Champagne formats. Instant Meunier focuses on one grape, Instant Boisé adds oak maturation, and Le Rituel de Fernand combines three varieties.
Where it grows
Reuil is the home village of Champagne Dourdon Vieillard. Its vineyard parcels extend between rivers and plateaux, placing the vines across a varied landscape within the village's clay limestone setting.
Clay can hold water through dry periods, while limestone drains freely and contributes a chalk marked feel to wine. In Champagne, that combination can support ripening without leaving the palate soft or heavy.
How it is made
The cellar
The estate farms about 10 hectares of vineyards. Its cellar facilities include a modern cellar and an ancient cellar cut into chalk, with a press house and fermenting room alongside them.
Instant Boisé is vinified in oak barrels, and malolactic fermentation is blocked. Oak can contribute spice and a rounder texture, while stopping malolactic fermentation preserves more of the wine's natural malic acidity.
What they make
The named cuvées divide the range by grape and cellar treatment. Instant Meunier is the single grape blanc de noirs cuvée. Instant Boisé gives Meunier an oak matured expression. Le Rituel de Fernand is the broader blend, combining Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
A blanc de noirs is white Champagne made from black grapes. The category keeps the grape at the centre of the wine while preserving the pale colour associated with Champagne. The three cuvées therefore move from a single grape style to oak influenced Meunier and then to a blend with wider grape composition.
Wines to try
First bottle
Choose Instant Meunier first. It is a blanc de noirs made entirely from Meunier, without malolactic fermentation, with 7g/l dosage and at least three years of cellar ageing.