Champagne Laherte Freres NV 'Les 7' Extra Brut, Champagne AOC

Champagne Laherte Freres NV 'Les 7' Extra Brut, Champagne AOC

Item Number: 6892

UPC: 0-630646142118

Country: France
Region: Champagne
Sub Region: Vallee de la Marne
Appellation/AVA: Champagne AOC
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Grape(s): 10% Fromenteau / 8% Arbanne / 14% Pinot Noir / 18% Chardonnay / 17% Pinot Blanc / 18% Pinot Meunier / 15% Petit Meslier
Type: Wine - Sparkling
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 12.5
Total Acidity: 7
pH: 3
Viticulture: Practicing Biodynamic
Soil Type: Chalk and clay with pebbles
Case Production: 250

Les 7 is a tribute to the Laherte ancestors and the Champagnes of the past. It is a sparkling wine produced by blending the three main Champagne grape varieties with four old/lost grape varieties (Fromenteau, Petit Meslier, Arbanne, and Pinot Blanc). Champagne Laherte Frères found these lost grape varieties in their plots; their ancestors vinified these grapes to produce wine. The Laherte family decided to nurture the four varieties and create Les 7 in an effort to taste Champagne with the same flavor profile as 250 years ago.

Terroir Notes: The grapes are sourced from a parcel planted by Thierry Laherte in 2003 in Chavot. The parcel is farmed biodynamically. The whole work in the vineyard is done by hand and exclusively farmed by the Laherte family.

Winemaking Notes: Natural fermentation occurs in aged Burgundy barrels (minimum of 10 years). Wine matures for six months with regular stirring of the lees. No malolactic fermentation occurs. A solera system is used to produce this wine; 60% of wines of the year added to 50% of reserve wines. Wine disgorged by hand with 4g/l dosage.

Reviews

  • The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 93 (8/31/2018)
    The NV Extra Brut Les 7 is a singe-parcel field blend of all seven authorized grape varieties, which are picked, pressed and vinified together (natural fermentation and aging in oak, no malolactic). Lot L.15 is from a reserve perpétuelle [solera] that includes all the vintages between 2005 and 2014. The wine opens with a clear, intense yet fine and terribly fresh bouquet of ripe white and yellow-fleshed fruits along with some earthy noes. Full-bodied, mouth-filling and dry, this is a firmly structured cuvée that's still a bit austere, with rich extract and a long, fruity and still underdeveloped finish. This is so tight and mineral that I would keep it for another two, maybe three years.
  • Vinous
    Rating: 92 (11/30/2018)
    The NV Les 7 is a blend of the seven permitted varieties in Champagne based on 2015 with 40% of a perpetual solera that goes back to 2005. The combination of varieties and wines yields a Champagne of uncommon complexity. Dried pear, citrus peel, sage and herb notes build in in a bright, tense Champagne that grows in the glass, finishing with lovely textural balance and silkiness. Like so many wines based on 2015, Les 7 has a slight vegetal quality that is perceptible but not overpowering. Zero dosage. Disgorged: January 2018.
  • Vinous
    Rating: 94 (12/6/2019)
    The NV Les 7 non-dosé (05-15), a blend of the seven grapes permitted in Champagne, is another super-distinctive wine in this lineup. Creamy, resonant and super-expressive, Les 7 is so intriguing. Hints of dried pear, mint, flowers and citrus open up with air, but Les 7 is a rare Champagne that engages all the senses with its captivating detail, textural richness and persistence. I loved it. This release is 60% 2015 and 40% reserve wines. The seven varieties are co-fermented, with blocked malolactic fermentation, and disgorged with no dosage. Disgorged: January, 2018.
  • The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 93 (9/17/2020)
    Disgorged in February 2018 without dosage, the NV Extra-Brut Les 7 is based on the 2015 vintage, supplemented by 40% reserve wines from a solera established in 2005. The wine is showing superbly today, unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus rind, Anjou pear, paraffin wax, pastry cream, peach and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, racy and incisive, with an elegantly fleshy core of fruit that's complemented by a pillowy mousse, it's bright and precise while avoiding any austerity.
  • Vinous
    Rating: 94 (11/19/2020)
    The NV Extra Brut Les 7 is a blend of the seven authorized grapes in Champagne, co-fermented, done in a perpetual reserve style that goes back to 2005. It is one of the most intriguing wines in the range. Citrus, orchard fruit and floral notes abound as this crystalline, taut Champagne reveals its stunning beauty. Les 7 is finished with no dosage, but there is more than enough natural richness to keep the wine in balance. I loved it. Disgorged: February, 2020.