LeclercBriantAbyssBrutZero2017

There have been five successive generations of Leclerc’s, beginning with Lucien Leclerc in 1872 in the village of Cumiéres. In 1955, the house moved to the current premises it still occupies today in Épernay. In 2012, Leclerc Briant was saved from extinction when it was acquired by American couple Mark Nunelly and Denise Dupré, who fell in love with the nonconformist character of the House. They quickly appointed Hervé Jestin as Chief Winemaker and Frédéric Zeimatt as General Manager, two individuals with extensive experience in the industry. Leclerc Briant are renown winemaking pioneers, having been one of the first producers to stop using chemical fertilisers and to experiment with biodynamic vine cultivation back in the 1970s, and being one of the first houses to introduce single vineyards champagnes in the early 1990s. Today the entire vineyard is certified as organic and biodynamic. In addition, all the champagnes released onto the market are certified as vegan. The Maison own 14 hectares and buy grapes from another 15 hectares, both of which are farmed organic or biodynamic.rrThe first “Abyssâ€?was specially created from the 2012 harvest for underwater ageing by Leclerc Briant, in association with Amphoris, a company specializing in undersea projects. This is now the sixth release based on wines from the 2017 harvest, blended and bottled in July 2018, disgorged in June 2021 and then off to Brittany that same month where it spent just over 13 months 60 meters under the sea before being retrieved in Autumn 2022. The grapes that make up this cuvée were harvested from select Champagne villages, renowned for their specific limestone subsoil; carefully chosen terroirs that are in perfect resonance with the marine sediment located in the Bay of Stiff, at the eastern tip of the “Ile d’Ouessantâ€?off the coast of France in Brittany. rrCuvée Abyss is a champagne with a resolutely maritime character which has benefited from being matured at the bottom of the sea. To taste it is to discover and appreciate the same mineral qualities that one finds in the chalky and sandy soils of the Champagne terroir where it had its origins.rrWeather in 2017: The year was marked by spring frosts in April, followed by very hot weather at the end of May and June. The month of August was not very sunny, with rain throughout the month, followed by warmth and good weather at the end of August for the harvest. With damp conditions the Pinot Noir & Meunier grapes were at huge risk and only small batches of Pinot Noir were picked and free from rot. Although 2017 won’t be widely declared, some individual successes will exist, several iconic prestige cuvée Blanc de Blancs were made, including Taittinger Comtes de Champagne and Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. In addition Dom Perignon 2017 exists, with a significantly higher percentage of chardonnay in the blend as there was limited Pinot Noir.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Premier Cru | Chardonnay: Bisseuil |Pinot Noir: Avenay-Val-d’Or | Meunier: VrignyrGrape Varieties: 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir & 33% MeunierrLess Ageing: 3 yearsrDisgorged: June 2021rBottling date: July 2018rSubmerged: June 2021rDosage: 0 g/lrProduction: 5,000 BottlesrDrink: Now to 5 YearsrrTasting Note: Beautifully soft, ripe fruity nose with red and yellow fruits intermingling. The bone-dry palate is super fresh yet textured, with the plushness meeting energising nervosity. Impressively creamy mousse. Outstanding effort for the notorious 2017 vintage. â€?Tasted by Essi Avellan MWrrRead our article on how Abyss is made here.rrWatch Nick’s video tasting review of this champagne here.