Benoît Déhu is an eighth-generation vigneron of Champagne. He spent a defining period working in the cellars of Bollinger and afterwards returned home to his family’s pre-French Revolution estate in the Vallée de la Marne. His focus has been on a 1.7 hectare plot called “La Rue des Noyers” which he farms biodynamically, going so far as to plough the rows by horse. He has a passion to deeply understand the pinot meunier grape and he makes several sparkling wines from his plot on La Rue as well as a white and red Coteaux Champenois. His Champagnes are made with tremendous care in extremely limited quantities.

Portes Greffe, meaning rootstocks, is an incredible opportunity to experience the intricacies of pinot meunier. This box contains three Champagnes from the same plot of pinot meunier but of three separate rootstocks—SO4, 41b, and 161.49—all bottled with zero dosage. The real way to experience these wines, in our opinion, is to have a big night and open them all side-by-side. Their individualities are substantial but are easier to tease out by comparison than by memory. We have only tasted this Champagne with all the rootstocks together. The wine is lean, sliced stone fruit, apples, chalk, small white mountain flowers, a golden quality from slight oxidation, and a stoniness that goes deep into the wine.