Champagne A. Lété

Champagne A. Lété

I've tasted 3 Champagnes from Champagne A. Lété -- and what immediately struck me: this is work done with attention to detail. Based in the Vallée de la Marne, the house uses all three major Champagne grape varieties and manages to give each wine its own personality.

Terroir and Location

The Vallée de la Marne is the home of Pinot Meunier -- a grape variety that was long considered third choice, but in the hands of good winemakers can achieve great things. The slopes along the Marne offer a variety of expositions and soils, which is reflected in the complexity of the wines. With Lété you can feel the Terroir especially in the fruit-forward, approachable style of the Champagnes.

Philosophy and Style

What distinguishes Lété is the ability to make Champagnes that are simultaneously complex and drinkable. There's no working for effect here, but for substance. The Cuvées show that the house masters different style directions -- from puristic Brut Nature to elegant Blanc de Noirs. There always remains a certain warmth and approachability that is typical of the Vallée de la Marne.

The Range

Three Cuvées, three different approaches: a Brut Nature without Dosage, a classic Brut and a Blanc de Noirs. Each Champagne tells its own story. A focused range that puts quality over quantity.

The Cuvées in Detail

La Linéale Dosage Zéro

This is the Champagne that surprised me the most. At first bright and floral with acacia blossom, honey and citrus zest. Then it becomes broader -- lychee, bergamot, grapefruit emerge. And at the end a dry, elegant tobacco note as an aftertaste that lingers in memory for a long time. For a Dosage Zéro this is remarkably round and balanced. No sour mouthfeel, no aggressive character -- simply crystal clear and floral.

With light fish dishes or a ceviche this is a dream. The absence of Dosage lets the natural aromatics come fully into their own.

Type: Brut Nature | Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Les Miscellanées Numéro I Brut

Elegant and creamy -- that's how I would describe this Champagne in two words. Honey, almond and nougat on the nose, plus a light wood note reminiscent of toasted fruits. On the palate it perfectly balances between creaminess and minerality. A Champagne with structure and soul that continues to unfold throughout the evening.

Compared to La Linéale, the Miscellanées is significantly warmer and more opulent. Where the Linéale works with precision, the Miscellanées relies on fullness and smoothness. With a creamy risotto or aged Comté this is an excellent companion.

Type: Brut | Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

L'Avant-Garde Blanc de Noirs

A round, calm Champagne that takes its time. Initially restrained, it opens up wonderfully over the course of the evening. Yellow stone fruit, mirabelle plum and a touch of hazelnut shape the picture. The calm and composure of this Champagne is infectious -- no nervous fruit dance, but a wine that slowly unfolds and becomes ever deeper.

My tip: Open this bottle early and give it time. After 30 minutes in the glass the Blanc de Noirs shows a completely different dimension.

Type: Blanc de Noirs | Grape Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

What makes Lété special?

The house combines the fruitiness and approachability of the Vallée de la Marne with a precision you'd more expect from larger houses. Particularly the La Linéale Dosage Zéro shows that someone is at work here who understands the raw material and trusts it. No sugar needed -- the wine speaks for itself.

My tip: For getting started the Miscellanées, for purists the Linéale Dosage Zéro.

My Tastings

Conclusion