Laherte Freres Blanc De Blancs Brut Nature Nv Champagne

This striking, racy, crunchy Champagne is 100% Chardonnay from the family’s chalkiest soils in Chavot, Vaudancourt, 1er Cru Voipreux and Épernay-all biodynamically farmed. The soils for this wine are very rich in limestone but there is also marl (chalky clay), flint and schist. These stony, mineral terroirs account for this wine’s intense, pungent minerality and zingy, citric lines while the higher than average clay content gives fruit weight. This disgorgement is a 50/50 blend of 2014 and 2013. Malolactic fermentation was partially suppressed.

It has been aged for just over two years in bottle following a first fermentation in large cask and epoxy-lined tanks. Disgorged in July 2015, this bottling is singing with depth, ripeness, fleur de sel minerality and the citrusy cut so typical of this wine. Vibrant and intense, there’s also lots of spicy, white peach fruit, lemon pith and brown spice notes. While there is no dosage, thanks to the ripeness of Laherte’s grapes and partial malolactic, the wine is very well balanced. Like all Laherte’s Champagne, this was disgorged à la volée, which means by hand.