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The 2019 Champagne Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères Extra Brut is a masterpiece from the renowned Laherte Freres winery in the Champagne region of France. This vintage boasts a delicate, pale gold hue with fine bubbles that dance on the tongue. On the nose, notes of crisp green apple, hints of citrus and toasted brioche tantalize the senses. On the palate, the wine reveals layers of complexity with a perfect balance of freshness and richness. Flavors of ripe pear, lemon zest, and a touch of minerality lead to a long and elegant finish. This Extra Brut is a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and expertise of Champagne Laherte Frères, making it a must-try for any champagne enthusiast. Enjoy it as an aperitif or pair it with seafood, creamy cheeses, or roasted poultry. Cheers to a truly exceptional wine experience.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged December 2021. This wine offers the “quintessence of the Chavot terroir”, says Aurélien. It is always a selection of Laherte’s five best barrels from each of his two finest Chavot plots: old-vine Chardonnay from Les Chemins d’Épernay (planted in 1957 on clay with chalky subsoils, with around one-third of the fruit the rare Chardonnay-Muscaté); and Pinot Noir from Les Rouges Maisons (planted in the late ‘80s on a deep soil rich in clay, flint and schist). The wines were vinified separately and raised in old Burgundy oak (with some portions fermented in second-hand DRC Le Montrachet barrels). The dosage was 4 g/L. The old vines and clay of Les Chemins d’Épernay impart genuine depth and texture, and this opulence is vibrantly balanced by crystalline freshness and a long, classy finish. This superb, unique Champagne clearly speaks of its terroir. If you love great white Burgundy, this has similar textural and mineral qualities.

Disgorged November 2022. 100% old-vine Pinot Meunier. Les Vignes d’Autrefois (‘vines of another time’) is made from a single four-tonne press of grapes from old vines planted between 1947 and 1964. These grow in several chalky terroirs in Chavot and Mancy. The sites in Chavot (La Potote and Les Rouges Maisons) sit on deep clay and silt soils, with a presence of flint and small stones. In Mancy are Les Hautes Norgeailles and Les Bas Putroux, where the vines are rooted in clay soils over chalk. Viticulture for these sites is entirely biodynamic. As well as referencing the age of the vines, the name also refers to the fact that these vines are all massal selections (i.e. non-clonal). There is even a soupçon of ungrafted vine material scattered throughout these vineyards. Aurélien uses old Burgundy barrels for aging (including some sourced from Montille and Leroux), and there was no malolactic conversion. The wine aged for seven months in barrel, followed by 30 months on lees in bottle. The very low dosage of 3 g/L allows the iodine minerality of these chalky terroirs to sing. This is emblematic of the quality at Laherte today and reflects the fruit’s tension and low-yield intensity. It offers a wonderful balance between penetrating, spicy, fleshy red fruit and salty, racy deliciousness—one of the great Meunier bottlings of Champagne.

The acidity is firmer here than the Meunier Blanc de Noirs (Vignes d'Autrefois), with a chewy austerity typical of limestone in Champagne. Regardless, it is fine and poised on the palate with impressive balance, racy freshness and fine chalk-infused bitters that drive a long, sapid finish—an outstanding Blanc de Noirs.

Disgorged November 2022. Petit Meslier has formed an integral part of Aurélien Laherte’s Les 7 cuvée for almost 20 vintages. One of Champagne’s heirloom varieties, Meslier is a historic cross between Gouais Blanc and Savagnin. Although it has been largely forgotten in Champagne, the Laherte family has remained attached to the grape’s personality and its ability to retain acidity, even in warmer vintages. Between 2014 and 2018, Laherte established a mid-slope vineyard on Chavot’s clay/limestone soils, using massal cuttings from the domaine’s oldest Meslier vines. This wine marks the third release of this exciting project. The grapes are pressed in Laherte’s antique Coquard press, and the juice ferments naturally in old barrel. The wine ages for six months on lees in barrel and then a further 18 months sur lattes. This bottling is based on the 2020 vintage with 40% reserve wines and was disgorged by hand with just 2 g/L dosage (extra brut). When Domaine Didier Dagueneau decided to craft a sparkling wine in Pouilly-Fumé (yet to be released), Benjamin Dagueneau chose Petit Meslier as its hero. From the first glass, it’s clear why Laherte and Dagueneau have decided to put their faith in this unique, forgotten variety. Champagne thrill seekers should not hesitate.