Laherte Frères Les Empreintes 2018
£100.87 (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / North Ireland
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of Pinot Noir from Les Rouges Maisons (planted in 1983) and Chardonnay from Les Chemins d’Épernay (planted in 1957), including some muscaté Chardonnay selections, the 2018 Extra-Brut Les Empreintes was disgorged in November 2023 with a dosage of 1.5 grams per liter. It soars from the glass with aromas of pear, orange zest and pastry. Full-bodied and muscular, it displays a rich, demonstrative core of fruit, supported by a spine of tangy acidity, with structuring phenolics that assert themselves on the long, subtly bitter finish.
Features
Type of wine
Pairings
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Appellation
Alcohol
12.0%
Grapes
Serving
Between 10ºC and 12ºC
Winemaking
Fermented and aged in French oak barrels. Minimum ageing of 48 months in bottle before disgorgement.
Description
In the small village of Chavot, south of Épernay, the Laherte Frères family cultivates not only vines, but a vision deeply rooted in respect for the terroir. Laherte Frères Les Empreintes was born as a declaration of principles: to show, without artifice, the purest expression of two specific parcels that capture the identity of the place year after year. Cultivated under organic practices, the vineyard is treated as a living organism. Nothing is forced, everything is listened to. The blend is equal parts Chardonnay from Les Chemins d'Épernay, planted in 1957 on fine clay and limestone subsoil, and Pinot Noir from Les Rouges Maisons, a 1983 vineyard planted on deep clay, flint and schist soils. Both plots rest on the same calcareous base, which imprints an unmistakable mineral tension.
Winemaking
The grapes are harvested by hand, seeking optimum physiological maturity, and each cluster is treated as a single piece of a whole that wants to tell a story. The alcoholic fermentation of Laherte Frères Les Empreintes takes place in used oak barrels, where the wine breathes, expands and defines itself without the oak imposing its voice. Malolactic fermentation is not carried out, a courageous decision that preserves all the tension and natural energy of the must, while maintaining a vibrant acidity that will be key to its final personality. After this fermentation, the wine rests for at least 48 months on its fine lees, refining in silence until disgorgement, which is carried out entirely by hand. The dosage is minimal, just 3.5 g/l, like a whisper that softens without hiding. Everything is designed so that the terroir - and not the oenologist - has the last word.
Taste
Laherte Frères Les Empreintes is pure precision. Its bubbles are subtle, like a breeze that caresses rather than impacts. On the palate, it shows a straight, vibrant, almost electric acidity, reminiscent of the tautest Rieslings from the Mosel. Notes of lemon zest, green apple and yuzu intertwine with a pronounced chalky, almost saline minerality. As it evolves, nuances of raw almond, walnut skin and white flower emerge. This is a severe, clean, uncompromising Champagne that focuses on purity rather than seduction. A Champagne that does not seek to please, but to move from the transparency and truth of the terroir. Radical and honest.
Shipping to North Ireland
50% discount on orders over £352.85Estimated transit time: 4-5 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over £352.85 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | £11.38 | £5.69 (-£5.69) |
| 7-12 | £15.44 | £7.72 (-£7.72) |
| 13-18 | £21.61 | £10.81 (-£10.81) |
| 19-24 | £29.55 | £14.78 (-£14.78) |
| 25-30 | £34.31 | £17.16 (-£17.16) |
| 31-36 | £38.37 | £19.19 (-£19.19) |
| 37-42 | £46.31 | £23.16 (-£23.16) |
| 43-48 | £50.72 | £25.36 (-£25.36) |
| 49-54 | £57.29 | £28.65 (-£28.65) |
| 55-60 | £61.57 | £30.79 (-£30.79) |
| VAT included | ||
Appellation Map
Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères Blanc de Blancs 2020
£93.40
£88.76/ud (-5%)
