Laherte Freres Les 7 France

Les 7 is a single-parcel field blend from a plot in Chavot, planted by Thierry Laherte in 2003 to make use of the heirloom vines of Fromenteau, Arbanne and Petit Meslier already growing within the family's oldest vineyard plots. Adding in Chardonnay, Pinots Noir, Meunier and Blanc and there is a unique co-planting of all seven allowed grape varieties of Champagne.

The varieties were harvested and pressed together, all fermentation was natural, and the wine was produced using a perpetual (or continuous) reserve, stretching back to 2005. Each year the blend is roughly 60% of the new vintage wine (2015 for this bottling) with 40% of the reserve, and so this release spans the harvests of 2005 to 2015.

This is one of the most distinctive wines made in Champagne--a super-complex, fleshy and savoury (peppery, nutty) wine that is as delicious as it is fascinating. If you are interested in Champagnes with genuine personality, this is a wine not to be missed. The current bottling was disgorged by hand in January 2018. There is no dosage.