Vincent Laval's family has been in the village of Cumières for as long as the village started keeping records hundreds of years ago. Laval’s two hectares are in Cumières on the northern bank of the Marne, just a few kilometers west of Épernay. The vineyards face south/southeast, and receive ample sun exposure. Cumières is generally the first village in Champagne to ripen. Though Cumières is considered part of the Montagne de Reims, it’s right on the cusp of the Vallée de Marne, which means that Pinot Meunier also finds a home here.

Georges Laval converted the vineyards to organic in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Vincent’s approach in the cellar is hands off: base wines ferment spontaneously in neutral barrel, and are treated with minimal sulfur. Laval bottles quite late, which means that he’s essentially made a finished wine before second fermentation begins. The wines are, almost without exception, bottled Brut Nature; however the ripeness of the terroir in conjunction with impeccable farming mean that these wines find exquisite balance without dosage.

Professional Reviews

What importer Polaner Selections has to say about this wine...

Vintage
2016
Bottle Sizes
750 ML
Country
Italy
Region
Tuscany
Appellation
IGT Toscana
Wine Type
Red
Varietals
Red Blend
Varietal Notes
50% Sangiovese & 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard
Sourced from estate-owned vineyards.
Orientation
South to southeast exposure at 300 to 320 meters in elevation.
Soil
Sand from the Pliocene era.
Viticulture
Hand harvested between the second half of September and early October. 20 to 30 year old vines.
Vinification
Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
Aging
Aged for 36 to 48 months in a mix of Allier barriques and Slavonian botti.