Underwater champagne
Biodynamic champagne producers are thin on the ground so it's incredibly refreshing to taste expressive, dry, high quality sparkling wines from Champagne Leclerc Briant, which is certified organic and biodynamic, a rarity in a region where organics have yet to cast significant sway.
Leclerc Briant is also famous for producing the world's first intentionally aged underwater champagne, the Abyss, which we have secured two precious bottles of - strictly one per customer only and sales are in store.
2015 Champagne Leclerc Briant Abyss Brut Zero RRP $419.99
The first edition of Abyss was made from the 2012 harvest for underwater ageing by Leclerc Briant, in association with Amphoris, a company specializing in undersea projects. This is the fourth release and made with wines from the 2015 harvest, blended and bottled in June 2016, disgorged in March 2019 and then off to Brittany in June 2019 where it spends just over 12 months aging 60 metres under the sea, before being retrieved in autumn 2020. The grapes that make up this cuvée were harvested from Champagne village where limestone subsoil is the norm.
Cuvée Abyss is a champagne with a tangy taste, which matches the expectations of style, given its underwater aging heritage.
Strictly one Abyss per customer - sales in store only
But wait, there's more Leclerc...
2017 Champagne Leclerc Briant RRP $114.99
This deliciously rich and yeasty blend is made up of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally and sulfite levels are kept modest, between 20 and 30 milligrams per litre. The wine spends nine to 11 months in stainless steel tanks with 20% in oak barrels and more than two years on the lees in the bottle. Dosage is below 4 grams per litre so this is dry - and tastes it. Stunning fresh, full bodied, expressive champagne.
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