NV Wirth Michel Origines Extra Brut Champagne 750 ml

The Michel family is full of Pinot Meunier gurus. 

For decades—long before Wine Enthusiast said in 2023 that the grape is “beginning to reveal itself in all its beauty”—they’ve been crafting profound Meunier-based Champagnes. These bottlings have long been regarded as some of the region’s finest representations of the variety. 

The Wirth-Michel Origines is winemaker Antonin Michel’s crisp, chiseled take on his family’s Meunier legacy. Comprising 70% Meunier and 30% Chardonnay, it’s bright and joyful, with plenty of depth behind its aromatic first impression. Jeb Dunnuck called it “a highly charming wine,” and we think that nails it. With citrus blossom, ginger, almond, and limestone on the nose, a sip reveals green apple, lemon, and a touch of saline, with plenty of energy driving the long finish. 

After years of studying under Olivier Lamy in Burgundy and later with his own grandfather (Special Club member José Michel), Antonin Michel took the winemaking reins at two historic houses—José Michel, from his father’s side, and Wirth-Michel from his mother’s. The latter comprises just four hectares of land in Côteaux sud d’Épernay villages like Moussy and Vinay, where Taittinger and Moët & Chandon source fruit. 

Both José Michel and Wirth-Michel follow the same organic and biodynamic viticultural practices. Yet at Wirth-Michel, Antonin takes a more hands-off approach in the cellar. He ages the non-vintage wines in steel and concrete, leading to Champagnes with exceptional purity, crisp fruit, and wonderful vivacity. 

At this family-run boutique estate, he crafts his wines in small quantities, and only 150 cases of Origines made it to the US. Still, it’s such a testament to the energy, elegance, and pure joy of Pinot Meunier, we had to share it.