Alcohol: 12%
Grape(s): 100% Pinot Noir
Localization: Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France
Tasting notes: A seamless assemblage of fruit and barrel complexity marries the expressive, grapey, youthful generosity of guava, star fruits, poached strawberries, red apples and succulent stone fruits with the depth and intrigue of clove spice. Pure and lively, with soft, grapefruit-like acidity and an undercurrent of chalky minerality.
Notes: This cuvée is made from 100% Pinot Noir from Bouzy (“Les Vaux Bétins” and “Les Hannepés” plots with deep soils) and Tauxières, in an area called “Les Argentières”, with more chalk. The vines were planted in 1980 and 1990, with a planting density of 8400 plants/hectare, on root-stock: 41B. Pruning type: Cordon de Royat. The grapes from each parcel are pressed separately, and fermentation occurs in oak barrels. The wine was bottled unfiltered in the summer 2018, without prior racking. Dosage : 4 gr/liter (Extra-Brut). Energetic and persistant through the finish, with dark-toned fruit underlined by a stony minerality. 9,000 bottles produced. Biodynamic, Certified Organic
Food pairing: Enjoy it as an aperitif. Superb to accompany a fillet of sea bass, scallops, or roasted langoustines.
The Domain: Benoît Lahaye is located in Bouzy, a Grand Cru village in the Montagne de Reims region. His family has been making Champagne since the 1930s, and he and his wife Valérie now work in their winery with their two sons. The estate covers a tiny 4.8 ha, with 3 ha in Bouzy, 1 ha in Ambonnay and .6 ha in Tauxières. Bouzy brings structure, power, and fruit, while Ambonnay brings acidity and roundness. The vineyards are mainly planted with Pinot Noir (just under 90%) on south/southwest-facing slopes. The vines average 35 to 40 years old. In addition, a .2 ha parcel of 50-year-old Chardonnay is planted in Voipreux, in the southern Côte des Blancs. Since it is far away from Bouzy, these vines are worked by Pierre Larmandier. The total production is less than 40.000 bottles per year.
Farming practices: in 1995, Lahaye took the decision to allow grass to grow in the totality of the vineyards. He works the soil in order to aerate it and limit competition regarding water intake by the vines during certain periods of the year. The estate is fully organic since 2003, and 2007 was the first vintage Certified Organic. Lahaye only uses his own compost, and also some organic manure as a complement. Various herb infusions are applied, along with other fermented extracts from plants, copper-based (in regulated quantities), sulfur-based preparations, and essential oils to combat plant disease. Since 2009, Lahaye has been applying the principles of biodynamic viticulture to further everyday work, improve the characteristics of the terroir, and reveal the full potential of the soil and the vines. Benoît says that the switch to biodynamic practices has brought higher potential alcohol at harvest, but also higher acidity and more anthocyanins. Tamise, a 7-year-old working-horse from the Auxois breed, joined the team in 2010. Tamise helps in the vineyards, from ploughing to spreading the compost or picking up the frames. Since 2010, the estate has been certified as biodynamic by Biodyvin.
