Lallier


“My top score was 17.5/20…which went to three growers’ wines.”
– Jancis Robinson writing about a recent blind tasting of 64 Champagnes. Lallier Brut Grande Reserve was rated number one of the aforementioned three. (January 6, 2010)

Winery

The Lallier Family has been in Aÿ for over five generations. In 1996, James Lallier bought the winery of René Brun and started his own brand, thus Champagne René James Lallier was born. A new building was erected over the original late-18th-century cellar. In 2003, Monsieur Lallier retired and Monsieur Francis Tribaut took the reins at the estate, located at “4 place de la Libération,” in the heart of Aÿ. This medium-size house now produces around 350,000 bottles, allowing them to focus on making distinctive wines of character.

Lallier’s vineyards cover 12 hectares (30 acres) on as many as 43 plots. They have four hectares (10 acres) in the Marne Valley and eight hectares (20 acres) classified as “Grand Cru,” of which five (12.5 acres) are found in the prestigious Aÿ and three (7.5 acres) in the Côte des Blancs. The state-of-the-art winery holds 1,800 HL in stainless-steel tanks and 600 HL in traditional vats. Wines are bottled after blending in spring and then have time – at least 36 months for all the Grand Cru cuvées – to rest in their cellars where they reach ideal maturity before being consumed. Only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are used for the whole of the Lallier range. Our house style centers around bottling with cork and clamp during the second fermentation, as was customary in the old days. The René-James Lallier vault holds over 750,000 bottles stored in pallet crates, and their cuvees requiring ageing are stored in their 18th-century chalk cellars.

Visit the winery at www.champagne-lallier.fr

Wine Enthusiast Ratings Sell Sheet

Wines

Grand Reserve Grand Cru Brut NV


Made from 100% Grand Cru grapes, of which 65% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay and 35% Chardonnay from Avize and Cramant, the Brut is an intoxicating blend of 70% of the most recent vintage with 30% reserve wine, matured 24 to 36 months in our cellars. With 9 g/L dosage and 3 to 5 months rest between disgorgement and shipping, the Lallier Brut features a fine golden-yellow color and delicate buttery brioche aromas with hints of apricot and crusty bread. With its creamy mouthfeel, incredible balance, and remarkable minerality, this Brut represents a truly remarkable value.
Disgorgement: May 19, 2010

“ Quite a deep straw. Smells a bit wild-flower-like, sort of biodynamic! Fleury? Tight knit with lots going on. Interesting even if there is a bit of bruised apple on the finish. Quite long and certainly interesting. A bit chewy, but very attractive.”
17.5/20 points, Jancis Robinson, 1/2010

With a fine sense of maturity, this is rich, toasty, full-bodied and concentrated. It is a Champagne with weight, showing pink grapefruit, melon and green plum flavors inside an intense texture. At the end, acidity combines with a fine toasty flourish. – R.V.
92 points, Wine Enthusiast, Editors Pick, 12/2010 issue

65% pinot noir from Ay and Verzenay, with 35% chardonnay from Avize andCramant): Vivid yellow-gold. A wild, complex bouquet displays scentsof dried pear, orange, white flowers and chamomile, with smoky mineral and leesnotes. Rich and deep but energeticin the mouth, offering powerful orchard fruit and bitter citrus flavors andgood mineral spine. Finishes broadand smooth, with lingering pear and honey notes.
90 points, International Wine Cellar, 12/2010

Like the Blanc de Blancs, the nose is quite discreet but with a few minutes of air, displays a very pretty combination of floral and freshly sliced apple. The delicious, intense, pure and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors are quite dry but not aggressively so and it’s clear that this could be aged to good effect if desired. However, the good news is that it’s not necessary as there is already a good level of complexity. This is lovely juice.
91 points, Burghound, Issue #41

Lively, with tangy acidity and flavors of white cherry, smoke, black raspberry, and lemon zest. Fresh, with a moderate finish. Drink now through 2014 –A.N
90 points, Wine Spectator, December 2011

label / shelf talker

Rosé Premier Cru Brut NV

80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, the Lallier Rosé is almost all grand cru juice. Grand Cru grapes from the areas of Aÿ, Bouzy and Avize are blended with Premier Cru grapes from Mareuil sur Aÿ to create this delightful, yet intense champagne. A blend of 80% current vintage wine with 20% reserve wine, it sees 10 g/L dosage and is matured for 24 to 36 months in their cellars, after which it will rest five months between disgorgement and shipping. A brilliant yet pale salmon-pink color introduces charming aromas of wild strawberries and baguette. Racy yet balanced, this elegant champagne will delight the senses.
Disgorgement: May 20, 2010

80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay, mostly fromthe Grands Crus Ay, Bouzy and Avize): Light orange-pink. Expansive aromas of raspberry and fresh flowers, with subtle leesinessand a hint of toast. Supple andbroad, offering pliant red fruit flavors and gentle acidity. Attractively open-knit and smooth intexture, with good finishing clarity and lingering floral character.
International Wine Cellar, 12/2010

This is a simply terrific rosé with gorgeously fresh and high-toned aromas of strawberry, raspberry and pinot that merge into clean, crisp, delicious and highly refreshing flavors that are quite dry without being aggressive or severe, all wrapped in a lingering finish that definitely invites another sip. In sum, this is a rosé that is a first class pleasure to drink and while it is not the most complex example on the market, it has other charms to compensate. This is well worth your attention and while for my taste it’s perfect now, it could easily be aged to good effect.
92 points, Burghound, Issue #41

label / shelf talker

Millesime Grand Cru Brut 2002

Made from 100% Grand Cru grapes, of which 45% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and 55% Pinot Noir from Aÿ. Aged 48 to 72 months in their cellars after bottling, this champagne sees a low 7 g/L dosage and rests five months between disgorgement and shipping. A fine golden color with amber hints introduces subtle and round aromas of brioche, toasted bread and fresh butter. Fresh, generous and creamy with a fine perlage.
Disgorgement: April 2, 2010

A rich wine, with delicious cream and apple flavors, lifted by fine acidity. It is opulent, packed with apricot and light honey character encased in a dry, mineral framework. – R.V.
92 points, Wine Enthusiast, 12/2010 issue

55% pinot noir from Ay and 45% chardonnayfrom vineyards in the Cote de Blancs): Bright yellow. White peach,pear skin and fig on the nose. Creamy and expansive in the mouth, offering powerful poached pear andhoney flavors that are enlivened by juicy acidity. Shuts down a bit with air and finishes with very good, stonycut and a persistent floral quality. I?d bet this Champagne would age well.
91 points, International Wine Cellar, 12/2010

The initial hints of secondary development only add interest to the otherwise extremely fresh and elegant aromas of apple, citrus and baked bread that precede equally apple-suffused middle weight flavors that possess excellent detail and real drive on the attractively dry finish that delivers excellent length. This is still on its way up though there is now enough depth that it could certainly be drunk with pleasure.
93 points, Burghound, Issue #41

label / shelf talker

Millesime Grand Cru Brut 2005


While the style is soft, full of yellow fruit richness, the wine also show an excellent concentrated texture. The fresh fruit is integrated into this more complex style. The aftertaste shows some softness, but the wine can certainly age for several years.
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast, November 2011

Zero Dosage Grand Cru NV

Made from 100% Grand Cru grapes, of which 70% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay and 30% Chardonnay from Avize and Cramant. A blend of 60% current vintage and 40% reserve wine, this exceptional bottling features a traditional cork and staple and is matured 48 months in our cellars before resting four to five months between disgorgement and shipping. The “Zéro Dosage” refers to the estate’s stylistic choice to add absolutely no sugar for the secondary fermentation, making this champagne bone-dry and mineral, perfect as an aperitif. Golden yellow with amber hints, fresh citrus aromas lead to fresh butter and brioche, a generous mouthfeel, intense minerality and a clean finsh.
Disgorgement: February 23, 2010

Very dry, packed with grapefruit juice flavors. At the same time, this is a tense, serious wine, with a great mineral presence, touch of toast and the potential to age in bottle. It is best with food. – R.V.
90 points, Wine Enthusiast, 12/2010 issue

70% pinot noir from Ayand 30% chardonnay from Avize and Cramant): Pale gold. Fresh orange and pear aromas are complicated by notes of toasty lees,floral honey and chalky minerals. Racy and focused on entry, then fleshier in the mid-palate, offeringvivid citrus and orchard fruit flavors that are underscored by chalkyminerality. Dry and nervy on thefinish, which strongly repeats the citrus and mineral notes. This would be excellent withoysters.
90 points, International Wine Cellar, 12/2010 ‘

The expressive and cool nose plays right on the edge of a gentle reduction yet there are citrus and floral aromas in evidence as well. The delicious, intense and moderately austere flavors possess excellent detail and vibrancy and the finish is also moderately austere. As the label suggests, this is an extremely dry Champagne and sufficiently severe that I would recommend this only to those who already know that they like low and/or zero dosage examples.
92 points, Burghound, Issue #41

label / shelf talker

Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV

Fine golden color with hints of green; Firm nose with lots of elegance and finesse with citrus fruit aromas. Ample generous mouth.
Disgorgement: January 20, 2010

This bubbly evokes elements of grapefruit, toast and mineral set against a lean frame. It’s all nicely pulled together, in a drier style, so try with food. Drink now through 2010. 15,000 cases made. –BS
90 points, Wine Spectator

Beautifully perfumed Champagne, creamy and mineral at the same time. It has the freshest green apple character to go with a delicious rich, full flavor, grapefruit juice and a tight texture. – R.V.
90 points, Wine Enthusiast, 12/2010 issue

This is reserved aromatically to the point of being shy but aggressive stirring reveals notes of Meyer lemon and white flowers plus an herbal hint that precedes delicious, intense and quite vibrant flavors that initially display a mildly bitter citrus-suffused finish yet this quickly passes. This is still quite primary and I would be inclined to cellar this for a few years first to round out the finish a bit and allow the complexity to better develop.
91 points, Burghound, Issue #41

shelf talker