Georges Laval
Cumieres Les Chenes Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut Nature Millesime
Cumières, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
Showing very young, but with sufficient air and a Burgundy glass it does offer plenty of joy now. Its floral, doughy and green fruited with serious power and intensity, and albeit austere on the mineral laced finish, it has good length and persistence. Time will do this bottling well.
Showing very young, but with sufficient air and a Burgundy glass it does offer plenty of joy now. Its floral, doughy and green fruited with serious power and intensity, and albeit austere on the mineral laced finish, it has good length and persistence. Time will do this bottling well.
Mar 12th, 2022
So much mineral complexity here. The chalky/wet stone character drives everything. Beneath ample red currant, green plum, and asian pear. Apple blossoms, something so pleasantly herbal, almost talcum like for me but more alluring. Can sense the warmth of the terroir, but not lacking spine or cut. Pure, clean, beautifully made, not easy to achieve given the method in the cellar. ~40 PM 30 PN 30 CH, 2016 base (L.BC16), 3/2019 disgorgement. Lovely paired with pasta w/ key shrimp, trout, dried tomatoes, saffron and tarragon.
So much mineral complexity here. The chalky/wet stone character drives everything. Beneath ample red currant, green plum, and asian pear. Apple blossoms, something so pleasantly herbal, almost talcum like for me but more alluring. Can sense the warmth of the terroir, but not lacking spine or cut. Pure, clean, beautifully made, not easy to achieve given the method in the cellar. ~40 PM 30 PN 30 CH, 2016 base (L.BC16), 3/2019 disgorgement. Lovely paired with pasta w/ key shrimp, trout, dried tomatoes, saffron and tarragon.
Mar 2nd, 2021
The 2016 Brut Nature Les Chênes is rich, powerful and explosive. The purity of the Chardonnay is compelling. Yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and white pepper are all buffered by the austerity of the Brut Nature style. The Chênes is not the easiest Champagne in the world to understand. It can seem a bit austere and unyielding - and to some degree it is - and yet there is so much character and pedigree to discover. Disgorged: February 21, 2020. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2020)
The 2016 Brut Nature Les Chênes is rich, powerful and explosive. The purity of the Chardonnay is compelling. Yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and white pepper are all buffered by the austerity of the Brut Nature style. The Chênes is not the easiest Champagne in the world to understand. It can seem a bit austere and unyielding - and to some degree it is - and yet there is so much character and pedigree to discover. Disgorged: February 21, 2020. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2020)
Nov 20th, 2020
Ripe lemon, saline, lightly cream fraiche. Lean and clean. Elevated intensity and length with a metallic finish... Vines planted in 1981. 100% Chard on a chalky site.
Ripe lemon, saline, lightly cream fraiche. Lean and clean. Elevated intensity and length with a metallic finish... Vines planted in 1981. 100% Chard on a chalky site.
Nov 10th, 2019Mag. Way too early on this beauty but couldn’t resist. As one of my guests put it, “tighter than a [CENSORED DUE TO EXTREMELY BAD TASTE].” Massive latent power, grace and complexity that had only begun to unspool by the last few sips. Not holding my breath on finding another one of these...
Mag. Way too early on this beauty but couldn’t resist. As one of my guests put it, “tighter than a [CENSORED DUE TO EXTREMELY BAD TASTE].” Massive latent power, grace and complexity that had only begun to unspool by the last few sips. Not holding my breath on finding another one of these...
1 person found it helpfulOct 29th, 2018
No such thing as perfection, but this is damn close. Love!
No such thing as perfection, but this is damn close. Love!
1 person found it helpfulJan 2nd, 2016Just real damn good. Rich, but with plenty of freshness. And joy. Lots of joy.
Just real damn good. Rich, but with plenty of freshness. And joy. Lots of joy.
1 person found it helpfulNov 21st, 2015Pretty great.
Pretty great.
1 person found it helpfulDec 22nd, 2014
If you like this style...then it's slammin
If you like this style...then it's slammin
Apr 11th, 2017