"La Lutétienne" Brut Nature

France
Champagne
2005

80% Chardonnay/20% Pinot Noir. From five parcels in Celles-lès-Condé featuring Lutetian limestone soils. The organically farmed fruit was hand-harvested and gently pressed; the juice was fermented with natural yeasts in Burgundy barrels. The wine was aged in barrel with no malolactic fermentation before being bottled in spring 2006. The bottles were aged sur lattes and disgorged in February 2020 with no dosage.

It is worth noting that the Tarlants distinguish between terroir wines and vintage wines. This can be a little tricky to discern at first. The terroir wines--Antan, Vigne d'Or, and Vigne Royale--feature those names prominently on the front label, with the vintage tucked on the back in tiny type. The vintage-focused bottlings like La Lutétienne--of which there is a single one made annually to reflect the personality of the vintage--feature the vintage in large type on the front, with the whimsical name in much smaller type below the vintage.

92 points
"The 2005 Brut Nature La Lutétienne is a gorgeous wine, especially for the year. Dried pear, spice, dried flower and hazelnut nuances suggest the 2005 is in its first plateau of maturity. I wouldn't push my luck on aging, but the 2005 is undeniably beautiful today. The 2005 is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. Disgorged: February 14, 2020. "
Antonio Galloni,
Vinous Media
November 2020

SKU/Code: 
DB3746-05
Product Line: 
Wine
Sparkling
Sparkling White
Varietal: 
Pinot Meunier
Farming Type: 
Organic