“Les Chênes” Cumières Premier Cru Brut Nature 2018

The Les Chênes site is located in the eastern part of the Cumières district, not far from the road to Aÿ, below the famous Hautvillers Abbey. The plot is ideally situated on a medium slope, faces south and has been cultivated organically since the 1970s. Pure chalky limestone lies under a thin layer of clay and silt. The Chardonnay was matured for eight months in used barrels and was aged for three and a half years. sur lattesuntil it was disgorged on 30 May 2022. 3,320 bottles were bottled.

light platinum, lively mousseux

Vincent Lavals blanc de blancs is one of the great wines of the region with every vintage. This is no different in 2018, where the Champagne presented with power and precision, energy and a freshness that resembles an iridescent light. There are scents of ripe citrus, just ripened passion fruit and fresh pears. There is also lime and chalk, some graphite, almonds, lemongrass and orange blossom. Already in the fragrance this is a Champagne full of energy in combination with the maturity of the vintage.

What happens on the palate is a feast for the senses. The 2018 Brut Nature Les Chênes appears crystal clear, citrusy and chalky on the one hand, deep, full and complex on the other. It is a powerhouse that constantly moves new energy and an electrifying and pulsating minerality from the depths to the surface. It is a demanding and still blood-young wine that will continue to develop and gain complexity over years, even decades. Unfortunately - one could argue - it is already so good today that one hardly wants to resist it. Currently, this Champagne nothing against it if you carafe it.