On the Trail in Verzenay with Champagne Lallement
It is great to be back on the road in Champagne—the weather here has been properly hot (even warmer than in California), and, just like us, they have not had enough rain this year. The vineyards are going crazy, and the growers are having a hard time keeping up with their precociousness. Today I was visiting producers on the Mountain of Reims and was very impressed with one wine in particular, the 2013 Jean Lallement et Fils Brut.
I visited Alexandra and Jean-Luc Lallement for the first-time way back in 2001—on my very first trip to Champagne. They helped me fall in love with the wines of Verzenay, which is one of the most special and peculiar Grand Crus in Champagne. For the past 22 years I have never missed a visit to this special town and these special vineyards. The village is located on the north-facing side of the Mountain of Reims, with great views of the cathedral from many of the vineyards. Paradoxically, they specialize in the hardest grape to ripen in the region, Pinot Noir, even though they face away from the sun.
The paradoxes are deep in this bottle of 2013, from a cold vintage and one of the very rare October harvests in modern Champagne. Of all the Grand Crus, this should be the one that does the least well in the cold years, as it is reliably great in those hot years when other areas suffer in the heat. But after nine years, this 2013 has turned into a majestic wine in the old-school style of Champagne, a style that climate change has recently turned into an endangered species.
Jean-Luc explained to me that the reason for this is the age of the vines, nothing under 50 years of age goes into his vintage, and some of the sites in this bottle go back to 1950. It is composed of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, and dosed low at just 4 grams per liter. It has a light gold color, and the bouquet is full of the hazelnut notes that are a signature of this cru, framed by brioche from the long time on the lees. In the mouth, the wine is concentrated and complex, showing off not only savory cherry and toasty notes but also an elegant bead and fine texture. It has that rare combination of richness and vibrancy that only old vines, time in the bottle, and a cool vintage can bring. What a treat!
A toast to you!
Gary Westby