Champagne Laherte Frres Premier Cru Nature de Craie NV (Base 21 Disg. May 2023)

Disgorged May 2023. Aurlien Laherte has been experimenting with a sans soufre (zero-sulphur) cuve for several vintages. In 2018, he cracked it with two barrels of Cte des Blancs juice, drawn from two Premier Cru terroirs in Vertus and Voipreux. Laherte noted that the critical factors to the stability of vinifying in the absence of any additions were zero dosage and full malolactic conversion.
The third release of Lahertes Nature de Craie is drawn from a single vintage (2021) sourced from vines planted in 1960, 1965 and 1987. The word craie refers to the chalky soil of these terroirs, which lie on the lower slopes, ensuring good exposure and in turn providing fruit ripeness and no need for additional dosage. From hand-harvested and traditionally pressed fruit, this release was vinified in neutral oak barrels before aging on cork for 12 months. It was disgorged in April 2023 with no dosage.