Champagne Laherte Frères Les Beaudiers Rosé de Saignée

Meunier, the third sibling of famed champagne trinity, is being seen more and more as a single varietal champagne thanks to its grower producers such as Aurelien Laherte who showcases it’s whimsical personality and poise beautifully.

Champagne Laherte Frères Les Beaudiers Rosé de Saignée Vielles Vignes de Pinot Meunier Extra Brut

Chevot, Épernay, Champagne, France

Seven generation producer, biodynamic approach to farming, a natural winemaker and champion of the underdog varietals. His champagnes are terroir driven, low yielding and uses just enough dosage to balance the wine.

A delicious champagne rosé of 100% old vine Meunier (average age 65 years) from the biodynamically farmed Les Beaudiers’ single vineyard In Chevot, Épernay. The vines sit in hard bedrock of limestone with topsoils of silex, schist and clay contributing to it’s smoky flinty minerality and just bounces off of the juicy red fruit.

Fun fact: The first release featured an accidental typo on the label, and so the name of ‘Les Beaudiers’ stuck.

This isn’t your typical rosé champagne. This champagne was made in the saignée method, left to macerate on the skins for 12-24 hours before fermentation in neutral barrels with no malolactic fermentation. The method contributes to it’s vibrant color, texture and profile. This type of rosé champagne is less common as it is more time consuming to make (labor wise and time on the skins) and therefore more costly. The 2015 harvest was aged on the lees for 4 years, disgorged in May 2019 with a low dosage of 3 g/L. Only 3319 bottles were produced.

Intense crimson hue with a delicate effervescence. Seriously aromatic red berries, blood orange, grapefruit, rose petals, dried herbs and earthy core. This wine is all about power - the burst of flavors - tart cherry, pomegranate, earthy mushrooms, smoke, strawberry, dried apricot, chalk and spice. The delicate tannins, racy acidity, looooonnn smoky/flinty and bright personality just carry on so long ends on a bitter fennel almond skin finish. It’s deeply expressive, intoxicating and just plain gorgeous. I’ve never tasted anything like it.

This is a richer, more concentrated style champagne. Pair with a traditional French dish of duck confit, chorizo or brie with pomegranate compote.