Vincent Laval By Georges Laval Cumieres Rose Brut Nature Non-Vintage
Product Information: Georges Laval's Cumieres Rose Brut Nature NV is now produced by his son Vincent. This Champagne bursts from the glass, showing remarkable energy, tension and focus. Sweet floral and mint notes add an upper register to a wine that is first and foremost about minerality. This a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; zero dosage; picked as whole bunches and carefully crushed by foot with a healthy amount of skin contact leading to a bold, vibrant red colour. Expect a rich, layered, detailed rosé unlike anything else you will have encountered. Maker: Four generations of the Laval family have been tending vines in Champagne and they have been producing estate bottled wines since the 1970’s. Georges Laval, Vincent’s father, was the first to begin bottling wines at the domaine in 1971. Vincent officially joined the family business in 1991 after finishing his studies, by 1996 he officially took the helm of the estate. Georges had set the standard for the quality of the wines coming from this tiny estate and Vincent has faithfully taken over the reins, without changing much. Taking note from a report written by Jacques Cousteau, Georges recognised the importance of farming organically very early on and accepted the responsibility of farming organically since 1971. The domaine was one of the first to make the conversion to organics, and for many years was one of only a handful of producers to farm in this manner. Philosophy: The Laval’s have about 2.5 hectares of vineyard holdings that they farm organically, certified Ecocert, along with some biodynamic practices. The Laval's go above and beyond to avoid any chemical overspray from neighbouring plots, in an effort to protect their soils & vines they go about treating about 30 additional acres of vines with their own organic treatments. They were even able to get all aerial treatment companies to distance their overhead treatments more than 15m from any of the families organic plots. They go as far as to trade parcels with other growers in order to have all their plots in specific lieu dits be all one cohesive healthy parcel as opposed to separate parcels throughout a given vineyard site. Above and beyond remember? All vineyard work is done by hand between just 4 people, including Vincent. Plowing is done by horse in all of their plots. All of their organic treatments and sprays are used only when necessary and with as little as possible. Nose - Vibrant Red Berries, White Flowers, Anise Vibrant aromas of fresh red berries and citrus fruits are complemented by suggestions of white flowers, anise and chalky minerals. Palate - Fleshy, Broad, Crackling Blood Orange Fleshy and broad but decidedly dry, offering crackling blood orange and bitter quince flavors that stretch out and deepen with air. Finish - Focused, Persistent Finish, Iodine Clings with excellent focus and tenacity on the strikingly persistent finish, which leaves notes of orange pith and iodine behind.
Moet & Chandon Collection Imperiale Creation No 1
Champagne Suenen Montigny-sur-Vesle La Grande Vigne Pinot Meunier
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Non-Vintage (6 )
The Maker: For almost two hundred years, Champagne Bollinger has been making powerful, refined and complex wines that express the aromas of fruit in all its dimensions. In 1829, Athanase de Villermont’s vast estate just outside the town of Äy provided the backdrop for the founding of an extraordinary Champagne house - but as an aristocrat, Athanese was forbidden from engaging in commercial trade. With the recruitment of Joseph “Jacques” Bollinger, a Champagne merchant, and Paul Renaudin, a Champernois fascinated by the world of wine, the Bollinger legacy began. The Bollinger style is inimitable and recognised as such by great connoisseurs. It possesses a dense and subtle presence: a balance of the intensity of great Pinot Noirs and the freshness of Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs. The house’s offerings are rooted in 5 tangible principles: the vineyards; Pinot Noir; magnums of reserve wines; the barrels, and time. Bollinger wines release a creamy effervescence resulting from vinifying in oak barrels and prolonged contact with the yeasts. Every tasting yields new delights that are guaranteed to transport you. The Vineyard: Bollinger has built its vineyards at the heart of the finest crus in Champagne. 180 hectares of vines are made up of 85% Grand and Premier crus and are farmed by our teams of growers across 7 separate vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, Louvois and Verzenay for Pinot Noir; the Montagne de Reims, Cuis for Chardonnay; and the Côte des Blancs and Champvoisy for Meunier. Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are the two plots of Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres. There, ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, preserving the extraordinary heritage from which the Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced. Pinot Noir is the varietal on which Bollinger has staked its reputation. A demanding grape that requires care at every step, it remains front and centre because of the incomparable finesse it brings to a wine. Today, the Pinot Noir planted around the Montagne de Reims represents over 60% of the Bollinger vineyards. This also just happens to be the exact proportion it occupies in Special Cuvée! Multi-faceted and surprising, its unusually high ratio in the blends is a signature of the Bollinger style, to which it lends power, body and vinosity. It has been one of the founding principles of Champagne Bollinger’s identity from the very beginning. Bollinger is guided by a responsibility anchored in time and a commitment to people, the earth and our roots. It is committed to the well-being of its teams, preserving biodiversity, and reducing the brand’s carbon footprint. Tasting Notes: NOSE Powerful, complex, red fruits The beauty of ripe fruit and spicy aromas; hints of roasted apples, compote and peaches. PALATE Lush, enveloping, creamy A subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity; bubbles like velvet; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut. FINISH Dry, mineral, petrichor Mellow and refreshing, punctuated by a crisp bite derived from its Chardonnay component. Reviews + Accolades: “... this iconic non-vintage cuvée is dominated by Pinot Noir that gives impressive richness as well as ripe stone fruits. Wood fermentation adds further complexity as does the age of this bottling before release. Drink this Champagne now.” – Wine Enthusiast The Finer Details: Style - Champagne Varietal - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier Country - France Region - Champagne Vintage - Non-Vintage Bottle Size - 750ml ABV - 12% Closure - Cork