Average rating 4.9/5 stars across all Google and external reviews
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'''Bought directly from Fields Morris & Verdin, Leclerc Briants UK distributor, this is currently held in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, where it is cellared in ideal conditions and for same day deliveries small quantities are held in our London offices in a top of the range Eurocave'''
There have been five successive generations of Leclerc's, beginning with Lucien Leclerc in 1872 in the village of Cumiéres. In 1955, the house moved to the current premises it still occupies today in Épernay. In 2012, Leclerc Briant was saved from extinction when it was acquired by American couple Mark Nunelly and Denise Dupré, who fell in love with the nonconformist character of the House. They quickly appointed Hervé Jestin as Chief Winemaker and Frédéric Zeimatt as General Manager, two individuals with extensive experience in the industry. Leclerc Briant are renown winemaking pioneers, having been one of the first producers to stop using chemical fertilisers and to experiment with biodynamic vine cultivation back in the 1970s, and being one of the first houses to introduce single vineyards champagnes in the early 1990s. Today the entire vineyard is certified as organic and biodynamic. In addition, all the champagnes released onto the market are certified as vegan. The Maison own 14 hectares and buy grapes from another 15 hectares, both of which are farmed organic or biodynamic.
The goal at the House of Leclerc Briant is to create and market unique champagnes with an innovative style through a combination of meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and the winery, together with the utmost care of, and respect for, Mother Nature and the Terroirs. This is one of those champagnes they declare as non-vintage yet it is all from a single year currently 2018 and 5% of the grape juice was fermented in oak barrel. The wine is settled naturally and is not filtered and is suitable for vegans. The wine is bottled with lower sugar than normal so the bottle fermentation produces a champagne at around 5 bars of pressure rather than the typical 6 bars. This gives a smaller bubble and gently mousse, making it even more ideal to match with food.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Premier Cru | Chardonnay: Bisseuil |Pinot Noir: Avenay-Val-d'Or | Meunier: Vrigny
Grape Varieties: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Meunier & 20% Chardonnay
Lees Ageing: 2 years
Base Vintage: 2018
Disgorged: October 2021
Dosage: 4.5 g/l
Drink: Now to 2027
Tasting Note: A straw yellow colour with brilliant flashes of paler yellow. Green apples, lemon and notes of fresh almonds. On the palate blackcurrant, peach, blood orange and fresh grapes accompany aniseed and juniper. Delightfully long finish with a creamy mid palate.
There have been five successive generations of Leclercs, beginning with Lucien Leclerc in 1872 in the village of Cumiéres. In 1955, the house moved to the current premises it still occupies today in Épernay. During this time, thanks to the dynamism of Bertrand Leclerc (the great grandson of the founder) and his wife Jacqueline Briant, the estate-based business changed its status to a Maison de Négoce, or trading house.
In 2012, Leclerc Briant was saved from extinction when it was acquired by American couple Mark Nunelly and Denise Dupré, who fell in love with the nonconformist character of the House. They quickly appointed Hervé Jestin as Chief Winemaker and Frédéric Zeimatt as General Manager, two individuals with extensive experience in the industry.
Leclerc Briant are renown winemaking pioneers, having been one of the first producers to stop using chemical fertilisers and to experiment with biodynamic vine cultivation back in the 1970s, and being one of the first houses to introduce single vineyards champagnes in the early 1990s. Today, their commitment to biodynamics has been taken a step further by Hervé Jestin, whose bioenergetic winemaking approach is truly unique. Utilising such techniques as underwater champagne storage and gold-lined barrels, Leclerc Briant produce wines with a high level of positive energy.
In recent years, under the influence of the new owners, the premises have been extensively refurbished and improved so as to provide all the facilities needed to create wines of the utmost quality; elegant new reception areas have been added as well. A profound respect for Nature and for the terroirs have always been of overriding importance at Leclerc Briant and now the entire vineyard is certified as organic and biodynamic. In addition, all the champagnes released onto the market are certified as vegan. Today they own 14 hectares and buy grapes from another 15 hectares and both are farmed organic or biodynamic.
Cellar Master: Hervé Jestin
Winery Location: Épernay | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Blancs
Annual Production (bottles): 200,000
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Leclerc Briant:
Hervé Jestin 2012 - Current | Before joining Leclerc Briant, Jestin spent 24 years as the Chef de Cave at Duval-Leroy and established a reputation as a global consultant, working in Russia, England (including Hambledon Vineyard), Italy, and Spain. Jestin focuses on creating wines with high "positive energy," emphasizing a connection to nature, the use of gold-lined barrels, and, most notably, the seabed aging of the Abyss cuvée in his native Brittany. He employs techniques like using terracotta eggs, slow fermentation with wild yeasts, and, since 2012, managing the transition of Leclerc Briant to fully organic/biodynamic certification.
Expert Reviews
17.5/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Based on the 2017 vintage. Disgorged in August 2021. Dosage 4.54 g/l. Very deep copper colour. A really glorious array of wild, floral aromas. Hugely distinctive and the opposite of formulaic with a tiny little bead. Mouth-filling. Tingly on the (dry) finish. So amazingly long with some lemon notes on the end! This is superior champagne that I would recommend to any serious champagne lover. So full of life!”
93/100
Peter Moser
“Medium golden yellow, silver reflections, fine mousse. Delicate white nougat, hints of yellow tropical fruit, floral touch, tangerine zest. Juicy, integrated acid structure, fine tobacco savouriness, apple fruit on the finish. Easy to drink.”
90/100
Yohan Castaing
“A blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay, the NV Réserve Brut from Champagne Leclerc Briant is showing well today, evoking a lively, fresh bouquet of pear, verbena, lime tree, herbs and menthol. Moderately weighted and tense, it's vinous and energetic with an incisive mid-palate and a mouthwatering, fresh finish. Based on the 2020 vintage with only 5% vins de réserve, it was disgorged in October 2023 with 4.5 grams per liter dosage.”
We recently visited Leclerc Briant with Jancis Robinson MW. General manager Frédéric Zeimett and winemaker Hervé Jestin discussed the winemaking innovations happening at Leclerc Briant and we tasted a range of champagnes, including Hervé's personal project.
Leclerc Briant winemaker Hervé Jestin is paving the way in bioenergetic winemaking. Utilising techniques such as underwater ageing and vinification in gold-lined barrels, Jestin produces wines with a high level of positive energy. We visited the house in Épernay to find out more.
