Champagne Laherte Freres Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV

100 per cent, biodynamic Chardonnay from the terroirs of Chavot, Vaudancourt, Voipreux 1er Cru and Epernay. Zero dosage. The soils for this wine are rich in limestone and have fine silts and chalk on surface. These soils give the wine an intensely racy, energetic, electric personality in the mouth. It's a 50/50 blend of 2010 and 2011 and only some of the wine went through malolactic fermentation. It has been aged for just over two years in bottle after a first fermentation in foudre. It's a dew-fresh wine with chalky precision and fabulous exuberance. There is plenty of ripe, spicy white peach and lemon pith fruit to go with the crunchy, chalky spine of freshness. Then there is a deliciously earthy lick to close. Ultra-pure in a 'sparkling white Burgundy' way and, like all of Laherte's Champagnes, it was disgorged (in September 2013) à la volée, which means by hand. A fabulous and pure example of the Coteaux d'Epernay style (in blanc de blancs form).

"Although it's lively and brisk, with a prominently chalky undertone, it reflects its terroir origins exceptionally well-you immediately see that it's not a Côte des Blancs chardonnay, as the clay topsoils of this area give the wine a certain roundness and breadth on top of the racy minerality. It's perfectly balanced as a non-dosé, its 20 percent of malolactic undoubtedly helping to create a better harmony of acidity, and while there is a pleasing depth of citrus and apple fruitiness, along with hints of dried mango and preserved ginger, this wine is really all about soil and expression of place. It's one of the best blancs de blancs I can remember tasting at this estate." Peter Liem, champagneguide.net

Country: France
Region: Champagne