Champagne J. Lasalle was born in the midst of WWII, its very creation an act of defiance that showcases the spirit of Champagne’s vignerons. When Jules passed in 1982, his widow, then his daughter, and now his granddaughter, Angéline Templier, stepped up to lead this great house. Their now 28-year-old tradition of “une femme, un esprit, un style” (one woman, one spirit, one style) has become a motto of the house, and these women are the modern-day warriors that revive the legends of the great Champagne matriarchs of centuries past. Today, Chigny-les-Roses is a postcard-perfect Champagne village that produces some of our favorite Premier Cru bubblies in the Montagne de Reims. The Lasalle estate has grown to over 60 plots, covering some 16 hectares, with a planting blend that is a little over half Pinot Meunier, followed by nearly equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Despite that, for this particular submission that achieved the rare Special Club status, the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay – not a trace of Pinot Meunier to be had. The individual lots are fermented and aged separately, resting in a barrel for anywhere from eight to 10 months before blending and bottling. The time on the lees lasts for a full nine years – quite remarkable – with only about 550 cases produced in the end. While this is certainly rare in the States – rest assured that Last Bubbles has it for the best price in the USA!

The impeccably structured and focused 2013 showcases an intense and linear vein of minerality – and overarching freshness. One would be hard pressed to guess over a decade has passed since harvest. The aromas leap from the glass with crushed chalk, river rocks, and spearmint – all uplifted delicately by a whisper of star jasmine. On the palate, crisp and cool citrus notes of lemon and lime appear, with a crunchy bite of Granny Smith apple for good measure. Far tighter and more mineral than the plusher 2012 vintage – this is a wine of sheer pedigree and bearing, and one that should develop fantastically over the next several years. Another special wine from the most special of clubs, and one that every bubbly lover should find room for in their collection!