Champagne, Georges Laval, 1er Cru Cumières Brut Nature Rosé
About Producer
From an old lineage of winegrowers since 1694 in Cumières, Georges Laval went against the grain when he decided to farm organically his 3ha vineyard in 1971. The vineyard is located in Premier Cru Cumières, a south-facing amphitheatre hillside on chalk subsoil on the right bank of River Marne, at 4km from Epernay. In 1996, he handed over the reins of the family estate to his son Vincent. A very talented winegrower with an unique style, Vincent Laval produces a small range of champagne that are true renditions of their terroir with an incredible display of energy, focus and density.
Varietals
Blend of old vine pinot noir and pinot meunier, from 2009 and 2010 vintages and disgorged on 26 October 2012. Fermented in native yeasts, with minimal intervention and zero dosage.
About Appellation
One of the first mentions of vines in the region was made by Saint Remigius, the Bishop of Reims who baptised the King of the Franks Clovis I in 496, who listed in his testament a vineyard in the suburb of Reims. Much has been written about the key roles of Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638-1715), a Benedictine monk at Hautvilliers Abbey, and Frère Jean Oudart (1654-1742), from Saint-Pierre-aux-Monts Abbey in Pierry, in the development of Champagne as we know today. In 1690, 'Champagne Wines' were first mentioned to designate sparkling wines of the region, and it was also the first time in France that a wine was identified as produce from a specific region. Today, the vineyards covers 34,300ha in four sub-regions, Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte des Bar. Within the three first sub-regions, there are 17 Grand Cru communes. While the main grape varieties are pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, four other varietals are also used in some blends, arbane, petit meslier, pinot blanc and pinot gris (known locally as fromenteau).
Tasting Notes
Rich and intense rosé de saignée with darker colour than most rosés, perfumed nose of red berries, brioche, red flowers, hints of baking spices and aromatic herbs, fresh and vibrant mouthfeel with great purity, superb tension and vinous depth, multilayered flavours of wild strawberry, raspberry, red apple and cinnamon liberally laced with firm mineral undertones, mouth-filling acidity carrying through a persistent chalky finish. This is an amazing champagne with excellent balance, understated complexity and remarkable purity of fruit, quite redolent of Burgundy in its expression of pinot. On the palate it’s assertive, bold yet with exquisite grace, and I particularly love the tangy freshness of the lingering aftertaste. (10/2021)