Leclerc BriantÉpernay
Producer profile
PL quotes Pascal Leclerc Briant: "Champagne can only be made in Champagne. Why? First, we have very bad weather. Second, we have our three grape varieties and chalky soil and all that. Third, we have 330 pages of regulations." "A historic champagne house in Épernay is experiencing rebirth under Frédéric Zeimett and Hervé Jestin". "Boutique champagne house with roots dating back to 1872, it came to prominence in the modern day under Pascal Leclerc Briant, who had a deep interest in organic viticulture." Pascal began farming biodynamically as early as 1989 and became known for single-vineyard Cumières champagnes. After his sudden passing in 2010 the house and the vineyards were sold, and the brand with its stock of wines was purchased by American investors. Hervé Jestin, formerly chef de cave of Duval-Leroy, oversees winemaking today. Moét's Zeimett "has a clear and progressive vision for the future" and "it feels like a commencement of an exciting new project". The holdings of vineyards had to be rebuilt and the house currently owns 14 biodynamically farmed hectares, with additional grapes purchased from sustainably managed parcels in the region. "It isn't easy to describe the brilliance of Hervé Jestin, or to explain why he is one of Champagne's best winemakers." "His theories.. border on the mystic", "his methods... difficult to comprehend. However, his wines are unlike anything else being made in Champagne" ("whether you enjoy them or not"). 2012 NV Brut Reserve is "vibrant and expressive, with an opulent depth of fruit". 2013 Rosé is "graceful and deft, with a lacy, elegant fragrance." 2013 Blanc de Meuniers from Chamery is "marvelous", "archetypal Jestin champagne, unfolding with intricate layers of complexity and feeling alive, animate, vital." TyS 6/10 superbly informative write-up, a must-read. Leclerc Briant's entire grape supply is organic. When the "coveted 30 hectares of biodynamic vineyards" were sold in 2010, they went to Lanson and Louis Roederer. Leclerc Briant wines undergo spontaneous fermentation in a variety of vessels: stainless steel, terracotta, barrels. Natural malo, no filtering, no fining, 4g dosage or less. A turbulent "rollercoaster ride" over the past decade for this "pioneering house". ToS "likeable and ever-enthusiastic Champagne maker Pascal Leclerc Briant was in the forefront of the single-vineyard grower phenomenon".
PL quotes Pascal Leclerc Briant: "Champagne can only be made in Champagne. Why? First, we have very bad weather. Second, we have our three grape varieties and chalky soil and all that. Third, we have 330 pages of regulations." "A historic champagne house in Épernay is experiencing rebirth under Frédéric Zeimett and Hervé Jestin". "Boutique champagne house with roots dating back to 1872, it came to prominence in the modern day under Pascal Leclerc Briant, who had a deep interest in organic viticulture." Pascal began farming biodynamically as early as 1989 and became known for single-vineyard Cumières champagnes. After his sudden passing in 2010 the house and the vineyards were sold, and the brand with its stock of wines was purchased by American investors. Hervé Jestin, formerly chef de cave of Duval-Leroy, oversees winemaking today. Moét's Zeimett "has a clear and progressive vision for the future" and "it feels like a commencement of an exciting new project". The holdings of vineyards had to be rebuilt and the house currently owns 14 biodynamically farmed hectares, with additional grapes purchased from sustainably managed parcels in the region. "It isn't easy to describe the brilliance of Hervé Jestin, or to explain why he is one of Champagne's best winemakers." "His theories.. border on the mystic", "his methods... difficult to comprehend. However, his wines are unlike anything else being made in Champagne" ("whether you enjoy them or not"). 2012 NV Brut Reserve is "vibrant and expressive, with an opulent depth of fruit". 2013 Rosé is "graceful and deft, with a lacy, elegant fragrance." 2013 Blanc de Meuniers from Chamery is "marvelous", "archetypal Jestin champagne, unfolding with intricate layers of complexity and feeling alive, animate, vital." TyS 6/10 superbly informative write-up, a must-read. Leclerc Briant's entire grape supply is organic. When the "coveted 30 hectares of biodynamic vineyards" were sold in 2010, they went to Lanson and Louis Roederer. Leclerc Briant wines undergo spontaneous fermentation in a variety of vessels: stainless steel, terracotta, barrels. Natural malo, no filtering, no fining, 4g dosage or less. A turbulent "rollercoaster ride" over the past decade for this "pioneering house". ToS "likeable and ever-enthusiastic Champagne maker Pascal Leclerc Briant was in the forefront of the single-vineyard grower phenomenon".
Tasting notes
Millésime 2009 Extra Brut. Excellent detail on the back label. 40% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay, 20% pinot meunier from Hautvillers, Cumières, and Verneuil. Ecocert certified organic grapes. Dosage 4g. Disgorged December 2016. A nuance of ripe cantaloupe. Creamy, flinty. Very supple and generous for Extra Brut. Deeply aged, cellared flavor with good acidity. Gentle carbonation, perhaps having lost some during storage after disgorgement (the cork remained compact). Purchased at Molly's Spirits in spring 2020 for $73. ⭐
All photos and tasting notes are by @gaiwanstyle
Producer profiles and wine details are from books by Peter Liem (PL), Tyson Stelzer (TyS), and Tom Stevenson (ToS)
Producer profiles and wine details are from books by Peter Liem (PL), Tyson Stelzer (TyS), and Tom Stevenson (ToS)