2022 Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères – Champagne, France – 95 Points James Suckling

🥂 95 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING! AN EXTRAORDINARY SINGLE-VINEYARD CHAMPAGNE FROM LAHERTE FRÈRES!

95 Points – JamesSuckling.com

2022 Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères – Champagne, France

RRP $265 per bottle

If you love the extraordinary purity, precision and mineral complexity of great Chardonnay, this is one of the most fascinating grower Champagnes you could discover.

The 2022 Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères is a remarkable single-vineyard Champagne from one of the region's most exciting independent producers.

Beautifully structured, intensely mineral and possessing the kind of texture and complexity that makes serious grower Champagne so captivating.

And the critical recognition is exceptional.

95 points from James Suckling.

This is a Champagne that celebrates the extraordinary potential of Chardonnay when grown in a distinctive vineyard and handled by a genuinely talented winemaker.

The result is a wine of remarkable individuality.

Think fresh lemon, crisp green apple, white peach and delicate citrus blossom, complemented by chalky minerality, subtle toasted nuts and beautiful savoury complexity.

The palate promises wonderful tension.

Refreshing acidity.

Fine bubbles.

Beautiful texture.

And an exceptionally precise, mineral-driven finish.

This is not simply another bottle of Champagne. It is a serious expression of Chardonnay, vineyard and vintage.

At $265 a bottle, Les Grandes Crayères is an exciting opportunity to experience one of the most compelling single-vineyard wines in the Laherte Frères portfolio.

Laherte Frères – Seven Generations of Extraordinary Champagne Heritage

Laherte Frères is one of the most respected names in contemporary grower Champagne.

The family estate was established in 1889, with its home in Chavot-Courcourt, just south of Épernay.

Today, the estate is led by Aurélien Laherte, representing the seventh generation of the family.

Aurélien has developed an international reputation for producing Champagnes that celebrate the individuality of their vineyards.

His philosophy is based on thoughtful farming, careful vineyard management and sensitive winemaking.

Rather than relying on a uniform house style, Laherte seeks to express the distinctive character of different sites.

The family's vineyards extend across the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs.

These landscapes provide a fascinating diversity of soils, exposures and grape-growing conditions.

But it is the single-vineyard Champagnes that offer some of the clearest expressions of this philosophy.

And Les Grandes Crayères is a particularly compelling example.

A Champagne built around the extraordinary character of one vineyard, one grape variety and one growing season.

Chardonnay – The Extraordinary Beauty of Blanc de Blancs

Les Grandes Crayères is a Chardonnay-based Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

Chardonnay is responsible for some of the greatest sparkling wines ever produced.

Its ability to combine delicate fruit, refreshing acidity, mineral precision and remarkable longevity makes it particularly well suited to Champagne.

The finest examples possess a captivating balance.

Fresh lemon and citrus blossom.

Crisp orchard fruit.

Delicate floral perfume.

Chalky minerality.

And, with maturation, the potential for toasted nuts, pastry and savoury complexity.

But the greatest Chardonnay Champagnes never lose their essential freshness.

There is always tension.

Precision.

And a beautiful sense of energy.

Les Grandes Crayères celebrates these qualities through a single-vineyard expression.

This is Chardonnay that places the character of its vineyard at the centre of the wine.

Les Grandes Crayères – A Fascinating Expression of Chalk

The name Les Grandes Crayères immediately suggests the importance of Champagne's remarkable chalk-influenced geology.

Chalk is one of the defining features of the region's greatest Chardonnay vineyards.

Its ability to provide drainage while retaining moisture within the underlying soil profile creates a fascinating environment for vine growth.

In cool-climate regions such as Champagne, this can contribute to grapes with beautiful natural acidity and remarkable balance.

But the character of great Champagne is never determined by geology alone.

Vineyard exposure, vine age, growing conditions and the decisions made by the grower all play important roles.

Aurélien Laherte is particularly attentive to these details.

His objective is to preserve the individuality of the vineyard rather than impose a dominant winemaking signature.

Les Grandes Crayères is a compelling expression of this philosophy.

A Champagne where Chardonnay, vineyard and vintage come together in a beautifully distinctive way.

Lemon, White Peach, Citrus Blossom & Beautiful Mineral Precision

The 2022 Les Grandes Crayères is a Champagne for enthusiasts who appreciate purity, structure and complexity.

Its Chardonnay character suggests an elegant aromatic profile.

Fresh lemon and grapefruit.

Crisp green apple.

Delicate white peach.

Citrus blossom.

And a beautiful chalky mineral dimension.

With time in the glass, more savoury characters may emerge.

Think subtle brioche, toasted almond and delicate spice.

The palate is defined by the balance between fruit intensity and refreshing acidity.

Fine bubbles contribute texture, while the mineral character brings focus and persistence.

This is the kind of Champagne that deserves to be enjoyed slowly, allowing its complexity to develop in the glass.

It is a wine for enthusiasts who appreciate the extraordinary sophistication of great Chardonnay.

95 Points – James Suckling

For serious Champagne enthusiasts, these are the qualities that make a wine particularly compelling.

The Importance of Single-Vineyard Champagne

One of the most exciting developments in Champagne has been the increasing recognition of individual vineyards.

For generations, much of the region's reputation was built around blending.

Different villages, grape varieties and harvests were combined to create consistent house styles.

And blending remains one of Champagne's great traditions.

But single-vineyard Champagnes offer a different perspective.

They allow enthusiasts to explore the character of a particular site.

Its soils.

Its exposure.

Its microclimate.

And the way these elements influence the grapes.

For growers such as Aurélien Laherte, this is an essential part of the winemaking philosophy.

Les Grandes Crayères is a Champagne that invites you to explore the relationship between Chardonnay and its vineyard.

Why Grower Champagne Is So Exciting

Champagne is home to some of the world's most famous luxury wine houses.

And many of those houses produce exceptional wines.

But some of the region's most fascinating wines are produced by independent growers who cultivate their own vineyards and bottle Champagne under their own names.

These are commonly known as grower Champagnes.

Their appeal lies in individuality.

Rather than focusing exclusively on a consistent house style, many growers seek to express the distinctive character of their vineyards and grape varieties.

Laherte Frères is one of the most compelling examples.

Aurélien Laherte has become internationally respected for his commitment to thoughtful farming, traditional grape varieties and sensitive winemaking.

His wines possess genuine personality.

And Les Grandes Crayères is a wonderful expression of that approach.

This is Champagne for people who love fine wine, not simply famous labels.

A Magnificent Champagne for Seafood & Fine Dining

Great Chardonnay Champagne is one of the most versatile wines at the dinner table.

Its combination of refreshing acidity, fine bubbles and mineral complexity makes it a magnificent partner for seafood.

Think freshly shucked oysters, scallops, lobster and premium shellfish.

The wine's texture and savoury dimension also make it an excellent partner for richer dishes.

Try it with crab, grilled fish, roast chicken or delicate mushroom preparations.

For something particularly indulgent, consider caviar.

The combination of fine bubbles, acidity and savoury complexity can be extraordinary.

Serve Les Grandes Crayères in a generous white wine glass rather than a narrow flute to appreciate its aromatic complexity.

A Champagne for Serious Collectors

Single-vineyard Champagne can offer remarkable rewards for collectors.

The combination of a distinctive site, a talented grower and an individual vintage creates a wine with genuine personality.

Chardonnay's naturally refreshing acidity also provides a foundation for bottle development.

With time, youthful citrus and orchard-fruit characters can evolve towards greater savoury complexity.

The ideal drinking window will depend on the specific release and disgorgement, but Les Grandes Crayères is certainly a Champagne worthy of serious attention.

For collectors who appreciate the finest grower Champagnes, this is a fascinating addition to the cellar.

Why We Love This Champagne at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we are constantly searching for wines that offer something genuinely extraordinary.

And the 2022 Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères is exactly that.

First, there is the producer.

Aurélien Laherte, one of the most exciting figures in contemporary grower Champagne.

Then there is the history.

Seven generations of family experience, with an estate established in 1889.

Then there is the grape variety.

Chardonnay.

One of the world's greatest white wine grapes.

Then there is the vineyard.

Les Grandes Crayères.

A fascinating single-vineyard expression of Champagne's remarkable terroir.

And finally, there is the critical recognition.

95 POINTS – JAMES SUCKLING.

An outstanding result for a serious vintage Champagne.

At $265 a bottle, this is a compelling opportunity to experience one of the most fascinating wines in the Laherte Frères portfolio.

If you love great Chardonnay, particularly the mineral precision and complexity of exceptional Blanc de Blancs Champagne, this is a wine you absolutely need to discover.

95 POINTS. SINGLE VINEYARD. CHARDONNAY. 2022 VINTAGE. AURÉLIEN LAHERTE.

2022 Laherte Frères Les Grandes Crayères is an extraordinary grower Champagne – and one we are delighted to recommend at Liquid Vibe.

Wine Details

• Producer: Laherte Frères

• Wine: Les Grandes Crayères

• Vintage: 2022

• Region: Champagne, France

• Grape Variety: Chardonnay

• Style: Single-Vineyard Blanc de Blancs Champagne

• Winemaker: Aurélien Laherte

• Estate Established: 1889

• Production: Traditional-method sparkling wine

• Critic Rating: 95 Points – JamesSuckling.com

• RRP: $265 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Oysters, scallops, lobster, crab, caviar, grilled fish and roast chicken

• Serving Temperature: Approximately 9–11°C

• Drinking Style: Enjoy now or cellar under suitable conditions