Champagne Lenoble

A small Negociant who works with great Chardonnays from the Cote des Blancs

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AR Lenoble Champagne, founded in 1920, is made by brother and sister Anne and Antoine Malassagne. The name comes from their grandfather and founder Armand Raphael's initials combined with "Le Noble" as he believed that Champagne was the most noble of wines.

Lenoble uses no herbicides or chemical supplements, organic manure, and as few products for treating vine diseases as possible. Gentle pressing in wood presses is employed and only juice from the first pressing s used in their wines. The first fermentation takes place in a combination of vats and oak barrels.

They have 18 Hectares of vines averaging 18 years old, which provide for 60% of their needs, with Chardonnay in the Grand Cru village of Chouilly in the Côte des Blancs and Pinot Noir in the Premier Cru village of Bisseuil in the Montagne de Reims. Their Pinot Meunier comes from Damery in the Marne Valley where their vines have complete southern exposure. They also buy additional grapes from Damery. Pinot Meunier is only used in their Intense, Cuvee Nature Dosage Zéro and Cuvee Riche Demi-Sec vines.

Since they grow 60% of their grapes, they have good control.

They make a wide variety of wines, both Non Vintage and Vintage:

Brut Intense - A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier aged for at least 2 1/2 years

Cuvee Nature Dosage Zero - This is identical to the Brut Intense except for no dosage (added sugar) and 6 months additional aging in their cellars.

Cuvee Riche Demi Sec - This is also identical to the Brut Intense except for more dosage, making it semi sweet,  and 6 months additional aging in their cellars.

Blanc de Blancs - They make several Blanc de Blancs (at least one review coming soon!), including a Grand Cru NV and Vintage,  L’Epurée Grand Cru - Blanc de Blancs with grapes all from Choiuilly which includes wines that have not been through malolactic fermentation, less wood during fermentation and a lower dosage,  and two Prestige Cuvees named Cuvée Gentilhomme and Les Aventures, a multivintage wine from a  special 1/2 acre plot of vines in Choilly.

Premier Cru Blanc de Noirs Vintage - A 100% Pinot Noir from Bisseuil. tasting note below.

Vintage Rose - This Rose is 90% Grand Cru Chardonnay Grand Cru with 10% still Pinot Noir added.

Lenoble Brut Rose 2006Tasting Note: Champagne Lenoble Brut Rose 2006  - April 2015, rated B+

This is a young fruit bomb. I love it! Will it gain complexity as it ages? Maybe, and it's so much fun that it doesn't matter much - super fun now!

A nearly absurd reddish-orange festive color. looks like Kool-aid®.

The nose has apple, lots of chalk, cherries, and minerals.

The palate is red cherry, strawberry, and apple on the tailend with lots of long rolling minerals in the fruits.

A very fun and festive wine to drink.

Champagne Lenoble Blanc de Noirs 2006Tasting Note: Champagne Lenoble Blanc de Noirs 2006  - March 2013, rated A-

Light to medium yellow in color

The nose is immediately, and I mean immediately, beguiling. Violets, lilacs, perfumed roses. With air some apple. Some minerals in the background.

Sweet red berries. Blind I could believe this is a rose. Some apple. Perfumed Roses. Lip smacking good - I mean it! This is like drinking candy, and in a GOOD way! Some minerals with air.

I can't guess at this wines aging potential, but it is young and perfectly drinkable now. It is not the most complex wine, this may or may not come with some age, but it's so friggin festive and fun to drink that it is clearly outstanding and hence I give it an "A-" rating!

Lenoble Brut IntenseTasting Note: Champagne Lenoble Brut Cuvee Intense  - rated B. Pleasant but not enough complexity for a higher score.

Light yellow with very fine bubbles

Nose: Airy chalk, a hint of citrus in the backdrop. some crisp apple with air.

Palate: Somewhat sweetish and very smooth, some minerals. A little tangerine. Very pleasant but not much complexity.

 

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