Grower Champagne

Aurélien Suenen might be young, but making Champagne is already a second career for him. His first had been as a professional basketball player. He is a disciple of both Pascal Agrapart and Anselme Selosse, whose advice has much bearing on this promising young grower in Cramant. He farms just 3 hectares across the Côte des Blancs grand cru villages of Chouilly, Oiry and Cramant. This is based on 2016 vintage (50%), and has the incisive, delicate but steely preicison of limestone-driven blanc de blancs. Aurélien's wines have already made a major impression on grower champagne followers, and are already incredibly hard to get hold of. He is one to watch.

Vilmart is a Champagne house prized by connoisseurs, and their rosé cuvée shimmers with elegance. Laurent Champs is the fifth generation of his family to make these wines, and he’s a man of passion and skill. His exacting standards in his vineyards and winery ensure exceptional wines every vintage.

This 12 hectare domaine is based in Merfy, just north-west of Reims. The young Alexandre Chartogne took over the family domaine in 2006 having trained at Selosse, whose influence is seen in the way he works his vineyards. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and ploughing is done by horse. Specialising in single vineyard Champagnes, Alexandre produces eight cuvées. Antonio Galloni says his "readers will find very few growers with a deeper love of the land and all it has to say than Alexandre Chartogne." The Couarres is one of two Champagnes that Alexandre makes from the south-facing slope of sandy soils over tufa. Aged in 3-6 year old barrels. 5.5g/l dosage.

This is a tiny 2.5 hectare estate joust south-west of Reims. Emmanuel's first bottling was in 2002, and since then he has built up an enthusiastic following. Certified organic, the grapes are always picked with at least 10% potential alcohol as Emmanuel never chaptalizes, believing the process to dampen the aromatics of the wines. In 2000 he invested in a small vertical basket press, about half the size of a normal one. He vinifies the various plots that go into this wine seperately, and carefully decides what makes it into the final blend. This release has 2016 at the heart of the blend. Hard to find, thanks to the tiny production, but well worth it when you do.

Like Agrapart's famous cuvée, this uses all seven permitted varieties of Champagne. It throws a spotlight on the lesser known indigenous varieties like Arbanne and Petit Meslier. It uses a base of solera reserve (going back to 2005), which helps round out the spikier aspects of some of these high acid varieties, and weaves together an incredibly complex unity.

This cuvée is made from Pinot Meunier vines planted between 1947 and 1964. The wine is aged in 4-12 year old barrels. It undergoes no malolactic fermentation and has just 3g/l dosage. This is a sensationally terroir-driven wine, and not easy to find. Aurélien Laherte is the seventh generation of his family to grow vines in the village of Chavot-Courcourt, just to the south of Epernay in between the Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne in a sub-region known as Côteaux Sud d’Épernay. He and his family work 10 hectares across 75 parcels here and his distinctive wines have earned him a strong following. Aurélien is one of a group of dynamic young growers, along with his friend Raphaël Bérèche, who are bent on natural methods and achieving excquisite terroir expression.

Lerclerc Briant's history stretches back to 1872, but its most interesting chapter has been since Chef de Cave Hervé Justin joined in 2012. Notable for his unorthodox approach to ageing, in his hands the house has grabbed attention for such practices as ageing wines in gold-lined tanks, and submerging bottles deep underwater off the coast of Brittany. But don't let these apparent follies disuade you from trying the excellent 2014, whose frame and length mark it out as quintessential and classical top-class Champagne. Its concentration, energy and balance have much more to do with Hervé's enthusiasm for biodynamic farming. It is a vibrant, steely style, with a long and tense, textured finish. Absolutley delicious. Disgorged September 2020, with 3 g/l dosage.