Champagne Benoit Lahaye - Brut Nature NV

Benoit Lahaye is a farmer first and a winemaker second. Since taking over his family’s domaine in 1993, he has moved the viticulture from being pesticide-free to certified organic and then to biodynamic certification. This is far from an easy transition, as Champagne’s extreme northern climate can make biodynamic viticulture very difficult. In fact, certified organic vineyards only represent around 1% of total land.

90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay with reserve wines making up 40%. Spends a minimum of 30 months on lees. Bottled with no dosage and, “off the record” says Benoit, has no sulphur added. Delicately scented with bright ripe Pinot Noir fruits and deep layers of mineral and briny complexity with fresh red apple, a little mushroom and some oak complexity. Sweet ripe red apple and red berry fruits burst onto the palate tapering to a finer more mineral flavour spectrum before a long tangy finish. This is incredibly sweet and ripe for a Brut Nature. It would be hard to pick it as zero dosage.