Valentin Leflaive : Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Verzenay 15 40

The aromatic finesse and freshness of a Blanc de Noirs champagne from Valentin Leflaive

The producer

The Valentin Leflaive Champagne House stems from the encounter between two people who are passionate about their terroir and well-known in their respective regions, Olivier Leflaive (Puligny-Montrachet) in Burgundy and Érick de Sousa (Côte des Blancs) in Champagne.

Bearing the first name of Olivier Leflaive's son, Valentin Leflaive champagne offers the experience of fine terroir-based champagnes, made with the utmost respect and a perfectly mastered Burgundian know-how.

The vineyard

This Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Verzenay 15 40 by Valentin Leflaive comes from vines that are 25 years old on average, located on the Montagne de Reims. This vineyard, with its chalk and silt soils, benefits from a northern exposure and is located at an altitude of 320 metres.

Vinification and ageing

The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed in a fractional manner to separate and select the musts which will then be vinified in stainless steel tanks.

The blend

The grapes used for the production of this Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Verzenay 15 40 by Valentin Leflaive come from parcels classified as Grand Cru on the Montagne de Reims. With a low dosage of 4g/l, this 100% Pinot Noir was drawn off in June 2016 before being disgorged in February 2020. After bottling, the champagne is aged on laths for three and a half years.

The label

In order to be transparent and modern, each champagne by Valentin Leflaive has a special code on its label. The letters define the grape variety and the parcel of land of each cuvée and the numbers indicate the years of the reserve wines used as well as the dosage.

The label of this Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Verzenay 15 40 by Valentin Leflaive thus specifies that the plots are located near the village of Verzenay, 2015 is the year of the base blend and finally 4.0 g is the dosage of liqueur per litre.

Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Verzenay 15 40 by Valentin Leflaive: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour

The colour is slightly amaranth red.

Nose

Delicious and precise, the aromatic bouquet blends flavoursome notes of red fruits reminiscent of redcurrant and raspberry while preserving the typical minerality of the Verzenay terroir.

Palate

Freshness and acidity, the palate enhances the Verzenay terroir through notes of small red fruits blending harmoniously with subtle spicy aromas.