Refinement and class at its finest…

Wine Spectator gives Champagne Pierre Legras Grand Cru Blanc de blancs 91 points “Flavors of ripe yellow plum, graphite, biscuit and spice. Creamy, with rich hints of toasted almond and lemon pâte de fruit on the subtle finish.”

A beautiful description that perfectly reflects this champagne. Not just a glass of bubbles, but a textbook example of a Blanc de Blancs champagne. Always somewhat lighter and even fresher than basic cuvées, which often still contain some of the two Pinots.

Champagne Pierre Legras grand Cru Blanc de Blancs boasts more than 10 generations of experience and expertise. The 8.5 hectares of owned vineyards are located in Chouilly, one of the communes that fall under the prestigious Champagne zone, Côte de Blancs.

The Côte des Blancs is a wine region in Northern France. It is not an appellation, but is one of the sub-regions of the AOC Champagne. The Côte des Blancs is located in the Marne Valley and is a north-south trending ridge of chalk and limestone.

It rises approximately 250 meters above the surrounding land. The strip is 20 kilometers long and comprises 3,313 hectares of vineyards. Of this, 90% is planted with Chardonnay. Chardonnay gives Champagnes “elegance, lightness, and refinement.” The winegrowers of the northern and exposed Côte des Blancs are sometimes confronted with night frost in the spring. Because Chardonnay buds early, this variety is particularly vulnerable to this. The east-facing vineyards lie on the chalky soil of the ‘Coteaux au Sud d’Epernay’. On these ridges, the Chardonnay grape variety is cultivated almost exclusively. It is for this reason that the chalk ridge is called the ‘Côte des Blancs’. The municipalities on the ridge are on the list of Grand Cru municipalities of Champagne. These are Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, and Oiry.

The chalky soil has special properties that favor the quality of the grapes. The chalky soil does not dry out quickly and has good drainage. The roots of the vines must penetrate deep into the chalk, and this benefits the quality of the grapes. Grapes from vines that struggle are of better quality than grapes from vines growing in places where the vine does not have to fight for its life. The white topsoil reflects sunlight, which is no unnecessary luxury in a wine region as far north as Champagne.

Fun fact: Due to global warming, the average temperature in Champagne is starting to rise. As a result, another region is now knocking on the door for excellent sparkling wines: Great Britain. Slightly lower temperatures, just as it always was in Champagne. And what about the typical chalky terroir...? Uhh, ever heard of the White Cliffs of Dover... Well, plenty of chalk there, then!