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Disgorged November 2022. Les Longues Voyes translates as ‘the long way’, referring not only to the 25 kilometres that you need to travel from the Laherte estate to arrive at the vineyard but also to the wine’s extended aging: 18 months in barrel and a further 18-20 months in bottle. The fruit is sourced from a single hectare of biodynamic vines in Chamery, Montagne de Reims, owned by a good friend of Aurélien Laherte’s. The 35-year-old vines are rooted in clay and silt over a limestone base. The wine was made from a single four-tonne press of grapes, which fermented naturally and matured in old Clos des Epeneaux and Leroux barrels. There was no malolactic conversion, and the dosage was 4 g/L. So, the estate now has two vintage Blanc de Noirs released at the same time: Les Vignes d’Autrefois from Meunier and Les Longues Voyes from Pinot Noir. The first comes from a chalky subsoil and the second from limestone, and it is fascinating to compare the different structures that result. Fans of Pinot Noir on limestone should move to the front of the queue.

Leclerc Briant was an early adopter of organic practices beginning in the 1960’s and pioneered the concept of single-vineyard Champagne starting in the 1970’s. Fifth generation vigneron, Pascal Leclerc began to follow biodynamic principles in 1988, with part of the production Demeter certified since 2003. Today, enologist Hervé Jestin continues the legacy of this visionary house. Ten hectares are divided between the Premier Cru villages of Cumières, Hautvillers, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil in the Vallée de la Marne, Villers-Allerand and Rilly la Montagne in Montagne de Reims and the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil Sur Oger in the Côte des Blancs. Leclerc Briant also holds long-term contracts with another 8 hectares of biodynamically farmed vineyards. Vintage 2010 is produced from 40% Chardonnay; 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier from the Premier Cru village of Cumières. Fermentation and aging for 7-8 months in stainless steel and cement tanks followed by 80-100 months aging in bottle sur lattes. The wine received a low dosage and is bone dry with just 4 grams per liter of residual sugar.

Reserved for a circle of insiders since 1838, Maison Mumm’s exceptional champagnes epitomize the excellence of its terroir and savoir-faire. True to this heritage, RSRV represents the only collection of five 100% Grand Cru cuvées. RSRV Rosé Foujita is a champagne appreciated for its elegance, fullness and power. The artist Léonard Foujita, a friend of the House, drew the rose motif which has decorated the bottle of Mumm rosé champagne since 1958. RSRV Rosé Foujita is a blend of six Grand Cru terroirs, bringing together Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Bouzy, and Chardonnay from Cramant and Avize. Red wine from Ambonnay, another Grand Cru village, is added to the blend, lending fullness and intensity on the palate, as well as aromas of red and black fruit. The grapes are pressed and vinified separately before being blended with reserve wines. The wine is aged for four years in the cellars, before the dosage liqueur, sourced from Grand Cru terroirs and matured in oak barrels, adds final notes of pastry and vanilla. The specific shape of the bottle, with its slender neck, enhances the evolution and conservation of the wine.

Louis Roederer Brut Nature Deluxe Rosé 2015 exemplifies innovative craftsmanship and terroir expression in Champagne. This cuvée is crafted from Premier Cru fruit in Cumières, blending 50% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 13% Meunier, and stands out as a collaboration with designer Philippe Starck. A portion of the ripest Pinot Noir is cold-infused and blended with the Brut Nature base, then co-fermented for complexity. The wine is bottle-aged for six years on lees and finished with zero dosage, resulting in extraordinary purity and depth.

A whiff of peat smoke lends mature expression to this mainly Pinot Noir bottling. Notes of toast and stone fruit conjure up impressions of woodland spice, framed by a more profound sense of vinosity. The palate shows wonderful depth: citrus on entry, with plenty of firmness on the mid palate and the wine’s vibrant fruit character showing through. The very low dosage contributes to the sense of invigorating harmony.