Description
Leclerc Briant Reserve Brut Champagne
Tasting Note:
A straw yellow colour with brilliant flashes of paler yellow. Green apples, lemon and notes of fresh almonds. On the palate blackcurrant, peach, blood orange and fresh grapes accompany aniseed and juniper. Delightfully long finish with a creamy mid palate.
描述
Leclerc Briant was an early adopter of organic practices since 1960’s Fifth generation vigneron, Pascal Leclerc began following biodynamic principles in 1988. Today, enologist Hervé Jestin continues the legacy of this visionary house.
24.7 acres of vineyard are spread between the Premier Cru villages of Cumières, Hautvillers, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil inthe Vallée de la Marne, Villers-Allerand and Rilly la Montagne in Montagne de Reims and in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil Sur Oger in the Côte des Blancs. Leclerc Briant also holds long term contracts with another 19.7 acres of organically farmed vineyards.
Brut Réserve is produced from 40% Pinot Noir; 40% Pinot Meunier; 20% Chardonnay. Malolactic fermentation is allowed to happen naturally and sulfite levels are kept between 20 and 30 milligrams per liter. The wine spends 9 to 11 months in stainless steel tanks with 20% in oak barrels and more than 2 years on the lees in the bottle (sur lattes). Dosage is kept below 4 grams per liter and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Story
There have been five successive generations of Leclerc's, beginning with Lucien Leclerc in 1872 in the village of Cumiéres. In 1955, the house moved to the current premises it still occupies today in Épernay. In 2012, Leclerc Briant was saved from extinction when it was acquired by American couple Mark Nunelly and Denise Dupré, who fell in love with the nonconformist character of the House. They quickly appointed Hervé Jestin as Chief Winemaker and Frédéric Zeimatt as General Manager, two individuals with extensive experience in the industry. Leclerc Briant are renown winemaking pioneers, having been one of the first producers to stop using chemical fertilisers and to experiment with biodynamic vine cultivation back in the 1970s, and being one of the first houses to introduce single vineyards champagnes in the early 1990s. Today the entire vineyard is certified as organic and biodynamic. In addition, all the champagnes released onto the market are certified as vegan. The Maison own 14 hectares and buy grapes from another 15 hectares, both of which are farmed organic or biodynamic.
The goal at the House of Leclerc Briant is to create and market unique champagnes with an innovative style through a combination of meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and the winery, together with the utmost care of, and respect for, Mother Nature and the Terroirs. This is one of those champagnes they declare as non-vintage yet it is all from a single year currently 2018 and 5% of the grape juice was fermented in oak barrel. The wine is settled naturally and is not filtered and is suitable for vegans. The wine is bottled with lower sugar than normal so the bottle fermentation produces a champagne at around 5 bars of pressure rather than the typical 6 bars. This gives a smaller bubble and gently mousse, making it even more ideal to match with food.
Origin：France
Type：Champagne
Grapes：40% Pinot Noir, 40% Meunier & 20% Chardonnay
Alcohol：12 %
Bottle Size：750ml
