Les Grandes Crayères 2020, Champagne Laherte Frères | Champagne

The Les Grandes Crayères 2020 cuvée from Laherte Frères is a masterpiece of purity and elegance, embodying the excellence of Chardonnay from the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay. This Blanc de Blancs is an ode to the minerality and terroir of the Champagne region, offering a refined taste experience that will appeal to lovers of great champagnes and the most discerning palates. The grapes are hand-harvested when fully ripe, then delicately pressed using traditional methods. Alcoholic fermentation, carried out in oak barrels aged 3 to 10 years, brings exceptional aromatic richness and a subtle woody touch. Malolactic fermentation is deliberately blocked to preserve tension and freshness. Ageing on fine lees for six months refines the wine's texture, while the Extra Brut dosage (2 g/L) sublimates the purity and balance of this cuvée.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : The grapes for this cuvée come from the emblematic parcels of the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay, where Campanian chalk soils outcrop, providing an ideal substrate for growing Chardonnay. The vines, which are over 35 years old, are nurtured in an environmentally-friendly viticulture method that values biodiversity and living organisms. The western exposure of the plots ensures slow, even ripening, capturing all the aromatic complexity of the grape variety.

The nose is complex and precise, opening with aromas of fresh citrus fruits such as lemon and grapefruit, accompanied by delicate floral notes of orange blossom and hawthorn. On aeration, pastry nuances of brioche, toasted almond and a hint of fresh chalk enrich the bouquet.

Lively and structured on the palate, the attack reveals a fine minerality, the signature of chalky soils. Flavors of citrus and white-fleshed fruit, such as pear and green apple, are complemented by a silky texture and a long, saline finish.