Champagne Leclerc Briant - Abyss Blanc 2018 avec étui

This Epernay-based brand, a pioneer of organic viticulture in Champagne and founded by the Leclerc family in 1872, experienced a renaissance under the leadership of Pascal Leclerc Briant in the 1990s and 2000s. The wine merchant was acquired in 2012 by an American couple, Mark Nunnelly and Denise Dupré, who are passionate about champagne and the French art of living. The house has now reached a brilliant maturity, complemented by the spectacular revival of the Hôtel Royal Champagne. All the champagnes, produced using biodynamic viticulture, possess great character and an intense, profound expression. Hervé Jestin, the cellar master, crafts wines that inspire our admiration.

A soft, relaxed profile that reveals lovely notes of candied pear, red apple peel, smoked walnuts, caramel, and cooked lemon, with a slightly bitter and salty finish. The effervescence is exceptionally gentle, almost imperceptible, giving the impression of a still wine on the finish. Aged in the bottle at a depth of 60 meters below sea level, off the coast of Brittany, for one year.

The nose takes you on a stroll among the rocks of Brittany, searching for shellfish and crabs in the crevices. The weather isn’t necessarily sunny, but the sea spray brings a touch of saltiness and freshness. Ripe fruit is not absent from this maritime landscape; it provides the missing ray of sunshine and warms the bouquet of acacia flower aromas. Beneath creamy bubbles, the wine retains its freshness and power, and the oceanic quality becomes subtly present in a texture as delicate as a spider’s web. This wine exudes a sense of both fragility and stability. A champagne that offers a beautiful radiance, even if a few small clouds occasionally darken the landscape.

Blended in equal parts from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, and aged underwater during the summer of 2022, the 2018 Abyss reveals aromas with notes of the sea, white fruits, spices, smoke, and herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, taut, and ethereal, it is perfectly balanced, with a crisp mousse and a lovely gastronomic bitterness. Disgorged with a dosage of one gram per liter.

We have never tasted an Abyss that was so fully developed so early in its life. The richness and breadth of the 2018 vintage play a major role in this.

Acquired in 2012 by a passionate American couple, this small estate has risen from the ashes thanks to wines with remarkable character. The vineyards are cultivated using biodynamic methods, and grapes are sourced from organic or biodynamic winemakers. The majority of the grapes come from exceptional terroirs (Mailly, Le Mesnil, Cumières...). Hervé Jestin has been working with the house for several years, bringing his well-known talent to the project. The “Abyss” cuvées—champagnes submerged at the bottom of the sea for 12 months off the coast of Ouessant Island—possess a distinct identity, as do the single-vineyard champagnes Château d’Avize and Les Mont Ferrés. Partial aging in oak, low dosage, and a balance of tension and vinosity are the hallmarks of this fine house.

I don’t think it’s just a matter of suggestion to describe this wine as “seriously salty”! A tension that makes you clench your fists, an austerity that turns your bones white, white citrus fruits carved from white stone. This wine possesses the finesse of a glass stem and a piercing purity—as if you could pierce a hole in the air with it. Its texture seems to crackle on the palate, like frost underfoot. You really want to savor this wine on a freezing “full moon” night: it exudes that spellbinding sense of calm that sends shivers right down to your bones.

The 2018 Brut Zéro Abyss, made from equal parts (one-third each) Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, was disgorged in June 2022 and then submerged off the coast of Brittany for ten months of post-disgorgement aging underwater at a depth of 60 meters. The nose opens gently with notes of ume plum and a slight smoky hint, followed by juicy aromas of yellow apple. The mousse is delicate, the body supple and round, with the characteristic ripe sweetness of the 2018 vintage. A subtle phenolic note adds a peppery touch that pairs well with the rye bread crust—generous and fresh for a 2018. No dosage.

A minimalist style with aromas of grapefruit, lime, yellow plum, and broom flowers. Wine-like. A fine mousse with lively acidity, a very light body, and a somewhat lean finish. One might have expected a bit more complexity. Best enjoyed now.

Aged for one year at sea off the coast of Brittany, the 2018 Millésime Abyss Brut Nature Champagne is made from Pinot Noir, Meunier, and a small amount of Chardonnay. It was disgorged during the winter of 2022, then submerged later that year in Stiff Bay. In the cellar, it is aged in both oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks; the first fermentation is followed by three years of aging before it is placed in the water. Sourced primarily from the Côte des Blancs and the Marne Valley, with Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, the goal is to highlight the expression of the terroir through aging at sea, which occurs at the same temperature as in the cellar. This is a pure and fruity vintage of Abyss, framed by delicate briny notes and enhanced floral complexity, with hints of candied lemon, white strawberry, and fresh, powdery earth. The wine has a bright yellow color and is incredibly expressive right from the moment it’s opened; it is medium-bodied and exceptionally refined on the palate. The marine influence does not dominate the wine, and the mousse is very elegant. Compared to the rest of the lineup, it may seem quite subtle, but I much prefer it in this vintage. Although it contains no dosage, it does not come across as austere. I don’t know how it will age in this cuvée, but I love it right now, and it seems ready to drink.