The Leflaive family is renowned for its exemplary work across the most prestigious appellations on the Côte d’Or, in Burgundy. With this background, it is no surprise that Valentin Leflaive applied the family’s know-how with tremendous success to plot selections in the Champagne region from 2020. A proportion of the wines are aged in old Burgundy barrels, which have previously been used to age the Puligny-Montrachet and Montrachet wines of the Maison Olivier Leflaive, and which now help to bring out the complexity of these Champagne cuvées.
A new player in the Champagne sector, Valentin Leflaive is also at the forefront of wines’ provenance and transparency, with each cuvée proudly bearing its very own characteristics – while the letters express the terroir, the numbers indicate the year of the base and dosage.
The Grand Cru Avize Extra Brut 1740 is a pure and expressive Champagne, made exclusively from Chardonnay grown in the chalk-rich slopes of Avize in the Côte des Blancs. In the glass, it shimmers a pale gold with fine, persistent bubbles. The nose is precise and mineral-driven, opening with aromas of citrus zest, white flowers, and fresh almond, underscored by subtle hints of chalk and oyster shell. On the palate, it is taut and elegant, showing a creamy mousse that supports notes of lemon curd, green apple, and pink grapefruit. A delicate salinity and crystalline minerality carry through to the long, clean finish. With its refined structure and energy, this cuvée captures the poise of Grand Cru Avize and the finesse of meticulous winemaking.
