Winemaker Notes
An interpreation of fruitness of Meunier, vinosity of Pinot Noir, and sapidity of chalk.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A bright straw color, the NV Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature is composed of 50% reserve wine, with a blend of half Meunier and half Pinot Noir. I love the nose, which has perfumed notes of lavender and hints of fresh blueberries and is really appealing to me with its freshness and elegance. Medium-bodied, the wine is approachable and rounded on the palate, with a pretty and fruity profile and nothing austere about it. While it should have no problem aging for another 8-10 years, it's a fantastic sunny wine that speaks of summer fruits and is very pretty all around. Bravo.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Laherte’s latest NV Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature blends equal parts wine from the 2022 harvest with reserves from the two previous vintages. Sourced from the Coteaux Sud d’Épernay and Vallée de la Marne and comprising 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier, it delivers aromas of pear, orange zest and dried flowers, mingling with blanched almonds. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, saline and vinous, with racy acidity and a precise, saline finish. Its attractively bitter phenolics further underscore the wine’s chalky character.
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Vinous
The NV Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs is laced with tons of Pinot character (50/50 Noir and Meunier). Dried pear, spice, hazelnut, dried flowers and anise open in this very pretty and expressive Blanc de Noirs. A wine of subtlety and nuance, this offering is very nicely done. I especially admire the energy here. Zero dosage. No dosage. Disgorged: May, 2023.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’