Champagne Laherte Frères "Les 7" Extra Brut NV

Winemaking

Champagne Laherte Frères is a family-run grower estate in Chavot-Courcourt, in the Côte des Blancs, where Aurélien Laherte has become one of the most respected voices in the récoltant-manipulant movement. His approach is deeply rooted in minimal intervention — low dosage, indigenous yeasts, and a commitment to expressing each parcel with as little interference as possible. The result is a house style that feels more Burgundian in its transparency than the grand marque tradition.

Tasting Notes

"Les 7" takes its name from the seven grape varieties — including the three classic Champagne grapes — that contribute to the blend, and that complexity announces itself immediately on the nose with white flowers, warm brioche, and a thread of lemon zest underpinned by a distinct chalky minerality. The palate is precise and finely textured, with pinpoint bubbles carrying flavors of green apple, roasted hazelnut, and a saline lift that keeps everything lively. Extra Brut dosage means there's no sweetness to lean on, so the wine's balance comes entirely from fruit and acidity — and it delivers beautifully. The finish is long, clean, and quietly persistent.

Producer

The Laherte family has farmed vines in the Vallée de la Marne for several generations, and the estate today encompasses around ten hectares spread across multiple villages. Aurélien converted the domaine to certified organic and biodynamic farming, making Laherte Frères one of the more committed sustainable producers in the Marne. Within the grower Champagne world, the estate is regarded as a benchmark for terroir-driven, low-intervention fizz at a level that challenges houses spending far more on marketing.

Terroir

Laherte Frères draws fruit from parcels across the Côte des Blancs and the Vallée de la Marne, two subregions that together capture Champagne's essential tension between chalk-driven precision and richer, more textural expression. The soils here are predominantly Cretaceous chalk — the same ancient seabed geology that gives great Champagne its signature minerality and natural acidity. The cool continental climate, with its short growing season and significant day-to-night temperature swings, is what keeps aromatics lifted and gives the wines their characteristic nerve.

Food Pairings

The wine's salinity and bright acidity make it a natural partner for a platter of freshly shucked oysters with a mignonette — simple, classic, and hard to improve upon. For something more composed, try it alongside pan-seared scallops with a cauliflower purée and brown butter, where the hazelnut notes in the wine echo the dish beautifully. It also holds its own with a soft-ripened cheese like Brillat-Savarin, where the wine's acidity cuts through the richness without overpowering the delicate funk.