Champagne Lecomte Pere & Fils Tradition Brut NV
It’s not often that value, quality, and history collide in such a remarkable way for a Champagne – but that’s just what happened here. This Tradition Brut from the long-standing Champagne Lecomte Père & Fils is a summertime showstopper and for over 50% off with 93 points, your perfect fall bubbles to load up on has arrived!
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Why We Love It...
Champagne Lecomte Père & Fils is a true family affair. Gaston Lecomte was the originator of this Champagne house in the late 1850s before passing it on to his son, Serge, and his wife, Suzy in the 1960s. Serge’s son, Dosythée, and his wife, Ghislaine (who was also the winemaker), took over the farm in 1992, doubling the estate’s sales by expanding production efforts. Finally, today, their two sons, Jérémy and Fréderic, work for the farm doing everything from tending to the vines to selling the wines. From its origination, the estate has remained focused on tradition while also exploring avenues of modernity in order to craft some of the most excellent Champagnes in the area.
Harvested from the southern slopes of Vinay, this Tradition Brut is a blend of 80% pinot meunier and 10% each of chardonnay and pinot noir. They call it, “a fresh and fruity cuvée perfect throughout your meals,” and truth be told, we couldn’t agree more. With 30% reserve wine from the past several vintages mixed in for enhanced complexity, it aged on the lees for 3 years prior to disgorgement and the addition of a balanced 7 grams/liter dosage to generate an utterly supple and delightfully round Champagne just exploding with lively energy and a toasty, yet bright expression.
Take a stroll through sun-drenched orchards when you steal a whiff of this, as it opens with aromas of fresh green apple, pear, and clementine that expand with classic notes of toasty brioche. The mousse is bouncy on the palate, continuing with the fruit pile-up and adding in some touches of summer strawberry. But don’t think this is just some big fruit bomb – you’ll notice those ripe notes get delectably balanced out by toasted almonds and a tang of minerality and bright acidity that help to shape up this Champagne into something exquisite, remarkably balanced, and all too potable. For the value and resounding quality here, I can’t help but vehemently agree with the final sentence of Tasting Panel’s 93-point review: “Very enjoyable and one to have around by the case load.” If they say so…or at least a 4-pack, since that gets you complimentary shipping!
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