Champagne Lacourte Godbillon - Les Montées - Ormes
Champagne Lacourte Godbillon is among the most inspired signatures of the Montagne de Reims, with precise and committed work around the terroirs of Écueil and the Petite Montagne. A family estate for several generations, it is now run with new energy by a couple of winemakers who have placed organic viticulture, parcel work, and the pursuit of purity at the heart of their philosophy. The slopes of Écueil, classified Premier Cru, rest on a base of chalk mixed with light clays, offering Pinot Noir a rich depth and a mouthwatering minerality. In this spirit, the cuvée Les Montées – Ormes explores the identity of a specific place, offering a champagne of character, taut, vibrant, and of great elegance. It is a wine of precision, designed to reveal the intensity of the terroir rather than to seek demonstrative power.
Les Montées – Ormes comes from a rigorous parcel selection, hand-harvested and vinified with the meticulous care that characterizes the estate. The grapes, mainly Pinot Noir complemented by a proportion of Chardonnay depending on the vintage, come from old vines deeply rooted in sands, marls, and outcropping chalk. Vinification takes place partly in barrels and tanks, with indigenous yeasts, to preserve both freshness and aromatic complexity. Malolactic fermentation may be partially or fully carried out depending on the balance of the vintage, always in pursuit of tension and harmony. Aging on fine lees adds texture and depth, while the reduced, even very low dosage places the cuvée in an extra brut style—sculpted, vertical, and pure. Les Montées – Ormes thus establishes itself as a terroir-driven champagne, highly readable, where the nobility of the Petite Montagne expresses itself without artifice.
On tasting, the wine shows a bright pale gold robe animated by a fine and precise bubble. The nose opens with elegant notes of white fruits, fresh apple, pear, yellow lemon, complemented by floral touches, a hint of light honey, and a very clear chalky minerality. On the palate, the attack is straight, lively, carried by a mouthwatering energy that highlights the purity of the terroir. The mid-palate is ample, structured, with ripe fruit supported by particularly refined tension and a creamy yet airy texture. The finish stretches long over chalk, citrus, and a subtle salinity that leaves the palate perfectly clean. This champagne pairs wonderfully with scallop carpaccio, sea bream ceviche, grilled fish, roasted poultry, sushi, or a lightly aged fresh cheese.
Grape varieties: predominantly Pinot Noir, complemented by Chardonnay
