Flatiron Wines & Spirits NY

The Freshie

If you have shopped with us at Flatiron for any length of time, you likely know the name Laherte Frères. Their entry-level "Ultradition" has become our single best-selling Grower Champagne over the last few years—and for good reason. Aurélien Laherte is one of the most dynamic young winemakers in the region, farming biodynamically and making beautifully-etched wines.

We love the Ultradition and we drink it ourselves quite a lot. But for the real Laherte magic you need to level up. We do that this month with his Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature. It is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier, primarily from the delicious, juicy 2022 vintage. The grapes are sourced from Laherte’s home territory in  the Coteaux Sud d’Eparnay and also the nearby Vallée de la Marne. Laherte says that the Pinot Meunier offers fruitiness, the Pinot Noir offers texture and depth, and the terroir itself – chalk soils, of course – delivers the freshness and cut.

And in this wine – at this moment – it is the freshness that dominates, and this is so electric that you might call it a "live wire" Champagne. Because it is "Brut Nature" (zero dosage), there is no added sugar to soften the blow. Aside from electricity, you get salty chalk and pure, crunchy, ripe fruit.

Here is one of the reasons we wanted to include a Freshie in this shipment: fresh Champagne is perfect for toasting and celebrating! The nuanced complexities that develop from aging Champagne can get kind of lost when midnight strikes and everybody is knocking back flutes in celebration. This wine is all about invigorating energy, A perfect way to ring in a lively new year!