Champagne LECLERC BRIANT - Blanc de Blancs 2019
In Épernay, the Leclerc Briant House has been defending for several years a very personal vision of Champagne, based on biodynamics, the pursuit of transparency, and minimally interventionist vinifications. Its vineyard, certified organic and managed according to biodynamic principles, favors terroirs of Premiers and Grands Crus as well as a precise reading of the places of origin. The Blanc de Blancs 2019 belongs to the House's Classic range, but its profile is far from standardized. It is made exclusively from Chardonnay and combines grapes from the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. This plural origin allows the chalky tension and freshness of Chardonnay to be combined with a fuller and more structured body. The Leclerc Briant style, marked by delicate effervescence and a certain controlled oxidative patina, gives here a champagne that is both upright, textured, and deeply gastronomic. The 2019 vintage, particularly ripe while maintaining a beautiful freshness, provides a particularly favorable ground for this search for balance.
The Blanc de Blancs 2019 is made from 100% Chardonnay coming notably from Villers-Marmery, Vertus, Trépail, and Bisseuil, with a complementarity between Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. The vinification combines stainless steel tanks and barrels, allowing the tension of the grape variety to be preserved while bringing more relief and texture to the matter. Hervé Jestin's work, cellar master of the House, follows an approach where fruit precision and terroir expression remain priorities. The wine is offered in Extra Brut with a particularly low dosage of 2.3 g/l, discreet enough not to mask the natural freshness of Chardonnay. The 2019 vintage brings generous maturity, with a concentration that gives the wine more flesh without sacrificing its energy. The disgorgement takes place from March 2025, after several years of bottle aging. Altogether, it composes a Blanc de Blancs where the finesse of the effervescence, minerality, and a slightly creamy texture respond to each other with great precision.
The robe, very pale, is adorned with luminous reflections and comes alive with fine effervescence. The nose opens on ripe lemon, white flowers, and orchard fruits, gradually with nuances of pear, jasmine, and wet chalk. On aeration, a discreet woody touch and a slightly pastry sensation enrich the whole without diverting the wine from its mineral line. The mouth is delicate but energetic, with a fuller body than its very low dosage would suggest. The acidity brings brightness, while a saline and chalky sensation gradually stretches the finish, supported by a particularly fine bubble. It is a champagne that can already be enjoyed for its precision and freshness, but whose structure also allows for aging in the cellar over several years. At the table, it will accompany oysters, shellfish, scallop carpaccio, a noble fish, or delicately creamy poultry with accuracy.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
