One of the defining principles at Champagne J.M Labruyère is sustainable viticulture. The day-to-day management of the cellar and vineyard is undertaken by Vincent Van Waesberghe (chef de cave and chef de culture), and the winemaking is overseen by celebrated oenologist Nadine Gublin – also the winemaker at the great Domaine Jacques Prieur and Domaine Labruyère. One of the defining principles at Champagne J.M Labruyère is sustainable viticulture. Since 2012, the estate has gone to great lengths to create beehives and traditional hedges to encourage more biodiversity in the vineyards. In addition, rather than relying heavily on chemical pesticides they have implemented biocontrol methods that rely on the introduction of other organisms to protect the vines from pests and predators. 2020 marks the start of the conversion period towards organic certification. All harvesting is done manually, and sorting takes place in the vineyard to select the healthiest clusters. The grapes are then gently pressed, with each plot being vinified separately in thermos-regulated stainless-steel tanks, or in oak barrels sourced from Domaine Jacques Prieur. All wines go through full malolactic fermentation before being left to age on the lees for 3-5 years.

To fully grasp the wines of Champagne J.M Labruyère understanding the role of dosage —or in this case the lack of it— is fundamental. After a Champagne has gone through blending and bottling, it spends time maturing in the producer’s cellar on the lees before being riddled to loosen the sediment. Finally, the wine is then disgorged to remove the dead yeast cells from the bottle and then the dosage is added. So, what is dosage and why is it particularly relevant for Champagne J.M Labruyère? Dosage is the process of adding a small amount sugary liquid known as liqueur de dosage (sometimes known as liqueur d’expédition) to Champagne and is used by many houses to balance the acidity of the wine by adding sweetness. Many well-known brands will use between 6-12g/l for their Brut Champagnes and use dosage (amongst other things) to create a consistent house style.  However, for Champagne Labruyère, the guiding principle is the reflection of terroir, which, like many other small growers in Champagne has led them to produce wines with very low or zero dosage. The result is wines that have their terroir characteristics entirely unobscured by sugar and offer an extremely pure expression of Verzenay. With time, the acidity in the wines will soften and the result will be elegant, balanced Champagnes that speak above all, of where they come from.