David Léclapart : L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs 2020

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs 2020 by David Léclapart

Tasting

Appearance
This champagne reveals a pale yellow colour with golden highlights, enlivened by a fine, steady stream of bubbles. The brilliance of the wine reflects its lovely freshness and a depth of character preserved through patient ageing.

Nose
The nose is multifaceted and complex, blending notes of white fruit and citrus with deeper touches of brioche, almond and dried fruit. Smoky, spicy nuances, inherited from the flint of the Trépail terroir, layer over subtle woody notes imparted by ageing in barrels.

Palate
The attack is crisp, driven by a high acidity that gives the wine a beautiful vertical tension. The palate then gains in density and volume, with flavours of white fruit, sweet spices and smoke that extend over a great length, leading to a saline, mineral finish.

Food and Wine Pairing

This champagne pairs beautifully with shellfish and seafood, fine firm-fleshed fish prepared with light butter or herb sauces, and white meats served with mushrooms or truffle. It also matches very well with lightly matured pressed cheeses, such as young Comté or mountain tomme.

Serving and Cellaring

L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs 2020 is best served at a slightly higher temperature than a standard champagne, around 10 to 12°C, to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. A few minutes of aeration in the glass allows the bouquet to open up, without the need for prolonged decanting.

The Finesse and Structure of a Blanc de Blancs from the Montagne de Reims

The Estate

Maison David Léclapart is a family-owned estate located in Trépail, in Champagne, on the Montagne de Reims. Founded in 1998 by David Léclapart, who took over the family vineyard and immediately converted it to biodynamic farming, the estate is still run by its founder, now joined by his son Martin. A pioneer of biodynamics in Champagne, David Léclapart cultivates around three hectares of vines following a philosophy of non-intervention, with no reserve wines and no dosage.

The Vineyard

This cuvée comes from the La Pierre St-Martin parcel, planted with Chardonnay in 1946 by David Léclapart's grandfather, on the slopes of Trépail classified as premier cru. This cool, damp Champagne terroir, marked by a significant presence of flint within the Champagne chalk, has a south-easterly exposure. The old vines of this single parcel are farmed biodynamically, without the use of chemical pesticides.

The Vintage

The 2020 vintage was marked by a warm, early year in Champagne, with episodes of intense heat as well as milder periods. On the cool, damp terroir of Trépail, these conditions allowed the Chardonnay to reach lovely ripeness while preserving the freshness and tension characteristic of the slope.

Winemaking and Ageing

L'Apôtre Blanc de Blancs 2020 is vinified in oak barrels, with indigenous yeasts and without the use of enzymes or winemaking additives. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, without any intervention from the winemaker. The wine is then aged on its lees for an extended period, before the secondary fermentation in bottle and ageing on lath, and is finally disgorged without any added dosage liqueur.

Grape Variety

This champagne is made from 100% Chardonnay.