NV Laherte Freres - Extra Brut Rose de Meunier (750ml)

Jean-Baptiste Laherte planted the family's first vines in the village of Chavot back in 1889, and the estate has passed down through six generations since. Aurélien Laherte, representing the seventh, took over in 2005 and converted the vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming, working across more than seventy plots spread through Épernay, the Vallée de la Marne, and the Côte des Blancs. In 2009 he co-founded the Terres et Vins collective alongside fellow grower Raphaël Bereche, bringing together like-minded producers such as Agrapart and Marie-Courtin for an annual tasting of the region's more progressive wines.

Rosé de Meunier is built entirely from Pinot Meunier grown on vines around thirty years old, a grape rarely given this kind of solo showcase in Champagne. The blend combines direct-pressed white Meunier, a portion macerated on the skins for color, and a small addition of still red wine, aged partly in barrel and foudre with a portion of malolactic fermentation before hand disgorgement at low dosage.

The wine pours a deep salmon hue, with aromas of cherry, blood orange, rhubarb, and rye bread. The palate is vibrant and full-bodied, closing on a long, chalky finish. Try it with spiced pork tacos or aged Manchego.