Champagne Valentin Leflaive Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Verzenay

Maison Olivier Leflaive needed to find a new region in addition to Burgundy, in order to express itself creatively and professionally. It was in a breath of freedom that the family embarked in 2015 on its initiatory journey from Puligny-Montrachet, the historic headquarters of Maison Olivier Leflaive, to Oger in Champagne. In 2020, the House obtained its Négociant-Manipulant approval and set up in Oger. In an authentic vat room with a traditional aging cellar dug into the chalk, Valentin Leflaive takes up residence. The team starts from the origin of the taste of the Champagne plots. Jean Soubeyrand orchestrates this adventure with Elysé Brigandat as cellar master.

The Valentin Leflaive adventure has its origins in the history of the Leflaive family in Puligny-Montrachet, guided for several centuries by the love of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and by the search for precision in the expression of the terroirs of Burgundy. Taking risks has become a trademark for Olivier Leflaive. Since 2015, a new page has been written in Oger in the heart of the great terroirs of the Côte des Blancs, that of a champagne of places. Olivier chose the first name of his son, Valentin born in 2007, for this new, fresh and contemporary project. 

This Verzenay Grand Cru is the first release for Valentin Leflaive of a Blanc de Noirs (meaning made of exclusively red grapes, and in this case it is 100% Pinot Noir). The red ink on the label & capsule is a code that indicates that this is made of red grapes. The letters express the terroir (Verzenay); the numbers illustrate the base years (2020) and the dosage (3 grams). This modern approach affirms Valentin Leflaive’s desire to play on transparency.

Verzenay is located in the famed Montagne de Reims region of Champagne. The average age of the vines is 55 years old. Loamy on chalk soil with a Northern exposure. 160m above sea level. Sustainably grown. The harvest is 100% manual. The pressing is fractional, (prunings are separated and eliminated). The wines are vinified in thermoregulated stainless-steel vats and oak barrels.

Look for notes of small, ripe red berries, sweet almond and hazelnut, rose petals and violets, the palate is precise and mouthfilling with flavors that are at first tangy & fresh, and then ripe & enveloping on the finish. We loved this release so much....

Note on 'Extra Brut' : Extra Brut Champagne is an extremely dry, low-sugar sparkling wine containing between 0 and 6 grams of residual sugar per liter. It is drier than standard Brut (0–12 g/L) and is often considered a purer expression of the wine's terroir, showcasing higher acidity and crisp, fresh aromas.