The Lamiable family settled in the Tours-sur-Marne region, along the eastern edge of the Montagne de Reims, way back in the 18th century. The family has always farmed the region, though it wasn’t until after World War II that the family turned to plant their own grapes. These wines are extremely limited in production, rarely submitted to critics for review, and nearly impossible to find here in the States. This is grower Champagne that will be greatly appreciated by the illustrious few that get a chance to taste it. 

This cuvée is a blend of the Grand Cru territories of Tours-sur-Marne and neighboring Bouzy. The Lamiable family’s first parcel of vines was planted in Tours-sur-Marne in a place called “Les Vignes des Meslaines” that has become their signature plot, with a percentage blended into nearly all of their wines as a sort of calling card (similar to Pierre Gimonnet and their “Cuis” site). Tours-sur-Marne is a small wine-producing village in the pinot noir dominant Montagne de Reims, just east of Aÿ and south of Bouzy. Set in the shadow of the 70-million-year-old Mont Sinaï, the tallest point of the Montagne de Reims, this village inherits a cross-section of geology focused on chalk, sand, clay, and limestone that lends the area’s Champagne their characteristic features.

This zero-dosage Champagne clocks in at 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, with a little less than half coming from a perpetual reserve, crafted solera-style and going back a few decades. After four years on the lees, the resulting wine is compact, fresh, and concentrated in flavors with hints of white grapefruit, lime zest, and flint. As the bottle settles, creamy notes of toasted hazelnuts and buttered brioche reveal themselves, with fierce tension and uplifting acidity throughout. This is a rare steal of a find for Grand Cru grower Champagne. Lastly, the Brut Nature aspect makes this a spectacular food wine, with a focus on classic Champagne matches like oysters and white fish dishes.