NV Laherte Frères Ultradition Extra Brut Champagne

A gorgeous champagne that over delivers. Its a focussed, taught style with notes of Red Gala apple skin, Rhubarb and Citrus with a saline backbone that makes this wine energetic and bright. This is the Champagne for dry riesling drinkers, oyster lovers and a bon vivant. 

Incredible value Grower Champagne. 

Grower Champagne is a little bit special in comparison to the big, great houses - the Grand Marques (like Bollinger, Pol Roger, Veuve etc.) They own all of the vines they produce wine from. Champagne produces a hell of a lot of bottles - and those big houses mostly purchase fruit from farmers. The benefit of grower Champagne is the producer has complete control from pruning to putting the foil on the bottle- which means they have total influence over the quality of their fruit, and that informs them as to how they make their wine. 

Laherte Frères champions Pinot Meunier (and lesser known grapes of Champagne) - widely considered the least famous of the three main grapes of Champagne. Aurélien Laherte is iconoclastic in that sense, but his wines are revelatory. And put this grape in completely different focus. 

We have mentioned the disgorgement below - as we find that a somewhat recent disgorgement is our preference, particularly with a Champagne as energetic as this. You want it to be bright and vibrant, not aged on cork. As a result we buy this wine in very small quantities so as to not sit on stock for a long period - it won't be here for long!! (And also why you might find some cheaper bottles on the market - they're older) 

Where: Champagne - Vallée de La Marne, Coteaux Sud d’Épernay 

When: Non-Vintage - base wine 2022, disgorged December 2024 

What: Pinot Meunier 60%, Chardonnay 30%, Pinot Noir 10%

How: Korean Fried Chicken. The spice with red fruits would be lush.