Domaine Georges Laval is a niche, little family-owned champagne estate. Having just three hectares in a region famous for its imposing maisons, it is quite the challenge to stand out from the crowd. But this is a challenge met with great talent. Since 1996, Vincent Laval has been managing the property with mastery. He was immersed in the wine-making world from a young age, watching both his father and grandfather work hard on the property. Today, he is helped out by his wife and a team of three employees. Together, their farming methods are traditional and certified organic; all synthetic products, herbicides, and pesticides are banned, as is compost and soil enrichment. Work in the winery is meticulous, with no added sugar and vinification in casks. The idea is to produce a range that includes both ‘vinification wines' and ‘terroir wines'. The vinification wines are those that blend vintages and/or terroirs to optimise flavour. The others undergo natural fermentation and are vinified as single-parcel cuvées. The lasting impression of these wines is one of precision, with beautiful depth and striking density.

A family-owned domain of just three hectares, Georges Laval is now run by Vincent Laval, a passionate producer who respects the traditional methods introduced by his father and grandfather. He has been immersed in this world from a young age, working at the domain at 15 before going on to get his BTS diploma in Avize. Each vine is treated individually, and compost, soil enrichment, herbicides, and pesticides are all banned. These vines are grown in the superb terroir of Les Chênes. They enjoy full exposure to the south and soil rich in chalk, clay, and limestone.
To craft this cuvée, Vincent Laval selected fully ripened Chardonnay grapes with the help of three employees. The grapes were fermented and matured in oak casks. This maturation lasted 8 months before a further 3 years of ageing once in the bottle. The producer also made the choice to not add any dosage to this wine, wishing to let the terroir come through in the glass. Delicate, complex, mineral, and remarkably persistent, this is a real gem…Though unfortunately there isn’t that much of it around!