Laherte Freres Champagne Meslier & Pinot Brut Nature 2020

Laherte Frères Champagne Meslier & Pinot Brut Nature 2020 is a vibrant, terroir-driven grower Champagne that puts a rare, heritage variety—Petit Meslier—center stage alongside Pinot Noir. Crafted with zero dosage, it’s a pure, unsweetened expression of its vineyards and vintage, offering a strikingly precise and characterful profile. This cuvée is a testament to Laherte’s commitment to old varieties and low-intervention winemaking, reviving historic grapes that once formed part of Champagne’s traditional blend.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2020 Meslier & Pinot Brut Nature shows a pale, luminous straw hue with green reflections and a very fine, persistent mousse. The visual impression already suggests freshness and tension. On the nose, expect lifted aromas of crisp green apple, lemon zest, white grapefruit and pear, layered with notes of white flowers, chalk dust, and a hint of fresh almond and wet stone. With air, subtle nuances of orchard blossom, fennel seed and a gentle brioche tone from lees aging begin to appear. The palate is taut and incisive, driven by the naturally high acidity of Petit Meslier, tempered by the texture and red-fruited nuance of Pinot Noir. Flavors of lime, green apple skin and gooseberry mingle with crunchy pear, underripe nectarine and a distinct saline, chalky backbone. The Brut Nature style keeps everything laser-focused and dry, with no sweetness to soften the edges, resulting in a long, linear finish marked by citrus pith, mineral grip and a whisper of savory, herbal complexity. While already engaging now, the structure and acidity suggest that this Champagne will evolve beautifully over the next 5–8 years, gaining more creaminess, nuttiness and complexity with cellaring.

Production
Sourced from carefully tended parcels in the Champagne region of France, Laherte Frères Meslier & Pinot Brut Nature 2020 reflects the chalk and clay-limestone soils that define this part of Champagne, particularly around the family’s home base near Chavot in the Côteaux Sud d’Épernay. The vineyards are farmed according to sustainable, organic-influenced principles, with an emphasis on biodiversity and low yields to concentrate flavor—especially important for the delicate Petit Meslier. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve their natural acidity and aromatic profile, then gently pressed in small lots. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts, often partly in neutral oak and/or enamel or stainless steel to bring texture without overt oak flavor. The wine spends extensive time on its lees to build depth and finesse before secondary fermentation in bottle. True to the Brut Nature designation, no dosage is added at disgorgement, allowing the terroir, grape varieties and 2020 vintage conditions to speak with absolute clarity.

Food & Serving
This brisk, mineral Champagne is a natural partner for refined, delicately flavored dishes, especially those from the sea. Pair it with oysters on the half shell, scallop crudo, ceviche, or simply grilled fish with lemon and herbs; it also works beautifully with sushi, tempura, and lightly fried seafood. On land, try it alongside fresh goat cheese, young Comté, or vegetable-based dishes such as asparagus, spring pea risotto or lightly dressed salads with citrus. Serve well-chilled at around 8–10°C (46–50°F) to highlight its tension and aromatics. A brief 10–15 minutes in the glass or a short, careful decant into a chilled carafe can help the wine open up aromatically, but extended decanting isn’t necessary—its precision and freshness are best enjoyed fairly soon after pouring.

Producer
Laherte Frères is a respected grower-producer based in Chavot, in the Côteaux Sud d’Épernay, and is widely admired for its artisanal, terroir-focused Champagnes. Founded in the late 19th century and now run by Aurélien Laherte, the estate has become one of the leading names in the grower movement, championing meticulous vineyard work, low-intervention cellar practices and the preservation of Champagne’s lesser-known historic grape varieties, including Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Fromenteau. With holdings spread over multiple villages and a patchwork of premier and distinctive sites, Laherte Frères crafts a range of characterful, individually expressive cuvées. Their work has earned them a strong following among sommeliers and collectors, helping to reframe Champagne not just as a luxury beverage but as a true wine of place with depth, diversity and authenticity.

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