Lelarge-Pugeot 'Gueux' 2016 Extra Brut Montagne de Reims, Champagne

750ml bottle

12% abv

A luxuriously silky Champagne with rich aromas of preserved lemon, almonds, and ginger tea, and an alluring, lingering salinity on the finish.

Named for the village of Gueux just 2 km north of Vrigny, this Meunier-dominant blend consists of grapes from two parcels. One, a south-east facing plot of Pinot Noir planted on sandy soils in 2005, and the other, an east-facing parcel of Meunier abutting 4 meager rows of Chardonnay - a 'happy' accident on behalf of Clemence's grandfather when he planted the site all the way back in 1965. With the fruits of these two sites previously sold to negociants, 2015 marks the family's first vintage of Gueux; luxuriously rich, silky, and markedly serious, the wine sees preserved lemon, almond shortbread and ginger tea drawn along an addictive, lingering vein of salinity.

Harvest : Vintage 2016
Blend : 70% Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, 5% Chardonnay
Age of the vines : 45 year-old
Soils: Sand, sandy loam, clay
Viticulture: Certified Organic 2014, Demeter Certified Biodynamic 2017
Vinification: Native yeast. Meunier, pinot noir, and chardonnay are fermented & vinified in tanks and barrels for one year.
Aging: Minimal sulfur is added at bottling. 3.5 years in the bottle on lees.
Disgorgement : November 2021
Dosage : 2g/L – Extra Brut
Fining or Filtering: None

Lelarge-Pugeot is an eighth-generation winery in the Premier Cru village of Vrigny on the rolling slopes of the Montagne de Reims (about 15 minutes west of Reims). It is a real family operation, helmed by the two parents, Dominique and Dominique, and supported by their three children, including the Bay Area's own Clémence.

The family’s 8.7 hectares of vineyards, which are planted mostly with Meunier, face northward, offering some protection from the effects of global warming, though Clémence is quick to note that they can now make red wines for the first time in the history of Champagne. The domaine, which has been certified organic since 2014 and Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2017, is comprised of 42 distinct parcels where Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are grown at elevations of 400 ft.

The wines of Lelarge-Pugeot are bright and full of pizzazz, and the family is producing some electric juice—including Nature et Non Dosé, their no sulfur/no dosage cuvée. Truly remarkable fizz all around.