Valentin Leflaive : Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Avize 16 40

Characteristics and Tasting Tips of the Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Avize 16 40 by Valentin Leflaive

Tasting

Color
The color displays a pale yellow hue with emerald green highlights, enhanced by an elegant and persistent effervescence.

Nose
The bouquet reveals a mineral and iodine-driven dimension that gradually unfolds into notes of white flowers and a fresh citrus medley.

Palate
On the palate, this Champagne is distinguished by its uprightness and intense chalky character. The chiselled texture is accompanied by a long, saline finish that magnifies the expression of the Grand Cru d'Avize terroir.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Champagne pairs perfectly with scallop carpaccio, royal sea bream fillet with caviar, or a velvety lobster risotto with baby ceps. It also elevates a pear granita with candied chestnuts.

Serving and Cellaring

The Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Avize 16 40 is ideally enjoyed at 8°C and can be appreciated until around 2028.

A Champagne from Avize that Reveals the Full Minerality of the Côte des Blancs

The Estate

The House of Champagne Valentin Leflaive was born from the meeting of two great French traditions: the Burgundian know-how of the Leflaive family and the prestigious terroir of Champagne. Founded in 2015 by Olivier Leflaive, the renowned winemaker of Puligny-Montrachet, the house was established with the aim of transposing the excellence and precision of Burgundy’s great whites to the creation of terroir-driven Champagnes. The name Valentin comes from Olivier’s son, born in 2007.

The approach is parcel-specific, exacting, and resolutely focused on expressing the Chardonnay grape variety, mainly sourced from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, etc.). Each cuvée reflects a unique identity, vinified in small volumes, with meticulous attention to élevage (often partial barrel ageing), low dosage, and aromatic purity. Valentin Leflaive thus embodies a pure, elegant style that appeals to lovers of artisanal wines.

The Vineyard

This Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Avize 16 40 is made from vines planted within the Côte des Blancs, the illustrious Champagne region terroir. Located at 150 meters above sea level on outcropping chalk soils, these vines, averaging 20 years of age, benefit from an ideal southeast exposure.

The letters define the grape variety and/or parcel of each cuvée, and the numbers indicate the years of reserve wines used as well as the dosage. Thus, this cuvée was born from the parcels of Avize, 2016 is the year of the base blend and finally 4.0 g is the sugar dosage per liter.

Winemaking and Ageing

Manual harvest. Fractional pressing followed by fermentation in stainless steel vats with the incorporation of 17% reserve wines. Bottled in May 2017, this Champagne benefits from at least 42 months of ageing on lees. This Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs was disgorged on 08/02/2021.

Grape Variety

100% Chardonnay.