Laherte Frères : Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2020

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2020 by Laherte Frères

Tasting

Color

True to its designation as a white champagne, Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2020 displays the clear, luminous hue typical of a champagne crafted purely from pinot meunier.

Nose

The nose opens on an inviting bouquet of white fruit and citrus, layered with delicate floral nuances and a touch of sweet spice that add depth to the overall impression.

Palate

The palate is full and fresh, with a supple texture that carries through to a long, satisfying finish, confirming the wine's standing as a true champagne for the table.

Food and wine pairings

This champagne pairs beautifully with refined seafood dishes, such as seared scallops with a leek fondue or poached sole served with a champagne sauce. It is equally at home alongside delicate poultry dishes enriched with a creamy mushroom sauce, such as morels.

Serving and cellaring

Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2020 is best enjoyed at a serving temperature of around 48°F (9°C), allowing its aromatic complexity to fully unfold.

Other characteristics

This cuvée is an Extra Brut champagne, with a very low dosage of between 2 and 4 grams per liter at disgorgement, carried out by hand. No malolactic fermentation was conducted, preserving the wine's natural malic acidity and freshness. The alcohol content reaches 13 %.

Laherte Frères: A Meunier-Driven Champagne from the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay

The Estate

Founded in 1889 by Jean-Baptiste Laherte in the village of Chavot, south of Épernay, Laherte Frères is a family-owned Champagne estate now spanning just over 11 hectares across the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay, the Côte des Blancs, and the Vallée de la Marne. The property is today run by the sixth and seventh generations of the family, with Aurélien Laherte, alongside his father Thierry, at the helm since 2005. The estate is recognized for its parcel-driven approach, its organic and biodynamic practices, and its particular dedication to the pinot meunier grape.

The Vineyard

Les Vignes d'Autrefois comes from old pinot meunier vines planted between 1947 and 1953 in the villages of Chavot and Mancy, at the lower part of the slopes within this Champagne terroir. The soils here combine fine loam and clay at the surface, with occasional flint and small stones around Chavot, resting on a soft chalk subsoil found at roughly 30 centimeters deep. Some of these historic vines remain ungrafted, a rare feature in Champagne that reflects the estate's commitment to preserving its oldest plantings.

Winemaking and aging

For Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2020, the grapes are harvested by hand and pressed using traditional methods. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts, followed by an aging period on the lees of about six months before bottling for the second fermentation. No malolactic fermentation is carried out, and the wine is disgorged by hand with a very low dosage.

Grape Varieties

This cuvée is crafted from 100 % pinot meunier, sourced from old vines that form the heart of this tribute to the estate's heritage.