„Les Hautes Chèvres“ Cumières Premier Cru Brut Nature 2020

Wine description for „Les Hautes Chèvres“ Cumières Premier Cru Brut Nature 2020 by Georges Laval

Character

Georges Laval is regarded as one of the quiet yet pioneering addresses in Champagne – a winemaker who, long before the boom of the Récoltant-Manipulant philosophy, consistently committed to artisanal integrity. The „Les Hautes Chèvres“ is a Brut Nature without any dosage whatsoever – not a gram of residual sugar clouds the direct, unvarnished expression of terroir. What lands in the glass is Champagne in its most honest form: no artifice, no compromise.

Terroir & Origin

Cumières, a Premier Cru village on the Marne, is renowned for its warm, south-facing slopes – a terroir that favours ripeness and richness whilst preserving the freshness characteristic of Champagne. The 2020 vintage was marked in the region by warmth and early ripeness, lending the wines substance and a certain opulence. In Laval’s hands, who manages his parcels biodynamically, this becomes no heavyweight, but rather a wine of depth and sense of place.

Grape variety & Vinification

The blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is typical of Cumières and reflects the down-to-earth, fruit-driven character of this vineyard site. Laval works with spontaneous fermentation, minimal sulphur use and eschews filtration – a philosophy that understands wine as a living document of its origin. The absence of dosage demands absolute precision from the winemaker: only when grapes and vintage align does a Brut Nature succeed. Here they do.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The directness and mineral tension of this Champagne make it an ideal table companion – not merely as an aperitif. Excellent with oysters and raw fish, equally convincing alongside sweetbreads, aged Comté or a simple vichyssoise. Those drinking it solo should allow it time in the glass – it opens with deliberation.