Minière F&R is a family-run grower estate in Hermonville, north of Reims in the Montagne de Reims. Now led by brothers Frédéric and Rodolphe Minière, the house has four generations of local vinegrowing behind it, and its flagship non-vintage cuvée, Influence Brut (often positioned as Extra Brut), aims to translate Hermonville’s limestone-based soils through a notably cellar-driven style, including oak use and extended lees aging.

Influence is built around all three main Champagne grapes, typically led by Pinot Meunier alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate underlines the estate’s site-specific approach, noting it is made by “blending three lieux-dits and three grape varieties—Les Couturelles (Pinot Meunier), Les Fosselles (Pinot Noir) and Les Fontenelles (Chardonnay).” In the review dated May 8, 2025, Wine Advocate reports the “latest NV Brut Influence is based on the 2020 vintage with 22% reserve wines from 2019,” and was “disgorged with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter in September 2024.”

In the glass, the critical picture is of a vinous, layered Champagne that keeps its freshness. Wine Advocate describes “a vibrant bouquet of sweet citrus fruits, apricot, yellow apple and a hint of coconut,” followed by a “full-bodied” palate with “a layered mid-palate,” “tangy acidity,” and “a long, mineral finish.” Wine Spectator (Dec. 15, 2025) emphasizes savory complexity and precision, citing “toasty brioche, grilled nut and warm spice accents,” lifted by “vibrant acidity” and flavors of “white cherry, lime peel… and blood orange sorbet,” finishing with “a finely detailed, creamy mousse.”

Reviews have been consistently strong. Wine Spectator’s 92 points and Wine Advocate’s 92+ are excellent endorsements for a non-vintage grower Champagne, especially given the detail both critics highlight: generous fruit, firm structure, and a polished, well-knit mousse.