Ahhh, a little more Champagne
was in order at a pre-New Years Eve visit to Le Caveau in Atlanta . Le Caveau is quite the old world-focused
wine shop, featuring smart selections from all of the high-points of France , Italy ,
Spain & Germany , among
others. They have a tasting counter as well, which was a great place to imbibe
in some of the shop’s grower-producer Champagne
(courtesy of my part-time boss at
Arcadian Winery, Joe Davis- thanks Joe!)
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| Three Champagnes at Le Caveau |
Of the three wines, the Laherte Frères Grand Brut Ultradition NV (formerly Brut Tradition) was probably the most well-rounded – featuring sharp
and bright fruit and mineral notes throughout with an underlying yeast and wheat complexity. This is a very nice and easy-going Champagne ,
but with enough depth to make it something more special.
The wine is estate-grown and comes from a blend of parcels spanning
ten different villages; all farmed either organically or biodynamically. According to Peter Liem in ChampagneGuide.net, the estate most represents the terroir of
the Coteaux Sud d’Epernay, an area south of the town of Epernay falling between the Côte des Blancs
and the Vallée de la Marne featuring a notable mix of soft chalk soils and
clay. The blend is 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, with
40% coming from reserve wines. The still wine is partially barrel-fermented and
undergoes partial malolactic fermentation prior to bottling.
With retail prices averaging in the mid $30 range, this is
economical as far as Champagne
goes. I recommend it, and Le Caveau as well!
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