David Léclapart : L'Amateur Blanc de Blancs 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for L'Amateur Blanc de Blancs 2022 by David Léclapart

Tasting

Appearance
This Champagne reveals a clear hue, probably pale gold with green highlights, typical of a young Chardonnay vinified without new oak, with a fine effervescence supported by careful ageing on the lees.

Nose
The nose opens with notes of ripe stone fruit, notably apricot, accompanied by delicate tropical touches and floral nuances of linden blossom. This aromatic palette, shaped by vinification in ceramic, reveals a pure Chardonnay with no oaky influence, in which fruit and flower converse against a backdrop of mineral freshness.

Palate
On the palate, this Champagne is rich, full and round, underpinned by a crisp acidity that structures the whole. A discreet savouriness and pronounced minerality underline the chalky origin of the terroir, while the length on the finish confirms the density of the body. The absence of dosage allows for a direct expression of Chardonnay, free of any sweet artifice.

Food and Wine Pairings

Its tension and minerality make it a natural companion to shellfish and crustaceans, especially oysters, clams and scallops. Its roundness also allows it to be paired with delicate, simply prepared fish such as turbot or sea bream, as well as with fresh or lightly aged cheeses, such as a young goat's cheese, where its savouriness pleasantly cuts through the milky texture.

Serving and Cellaring

L'Amateur Blanc de Blancs 2022 is ideally served between 9 and 11°C, a temperature that preserves the freshness of the fruit and allows the floral and mineral notes of the wine to be fully revealed.

A Champagne from Trépail with a Straightforward, Uncompromising Chardonnay

The Estate

Founded in 1996 by David Léclapart following his takeover of the family vineyard in Trépail, in Champagne, David Léclapart has marketed its cuvées under this name since 1998. A pioneer of biodynamics in the region, David Léclapart runs the 3-hectare family estate, spread across some twenty plots and planted essentially with Chardonnay.

The Vineyard

The Chardonnay for L'Amateur Blanc de Blancs comes from six plots located in the terroir of Trépail, a Premier Cru village in the Montagne de Reims. The soils are clay-limestone, dating from the Upper Campanian, offering effective drainage while retaining sufficient water reserves. The altitude and exposure of the Champagne slopes favour slow ripening, conducive to the tension and freshness of the Chardonnay, which is cultivated according to biodynamic principles without any chemical inputs.

Vinification and Ageing

L'Amateur Blanc de Blancs 2022 is made from a spontaneous alcoholic fermentation, started by indigenous yeasts and carried out partly in ceramic in order to preserve the purity of the fruit without marking the wine with oak. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally, with no sulphites added to halt it. The base wine is aged for less than a year before bottling, in keeping with the estate's usual practice, before beginning its secondary fermentation.

Grape Variety

This Champagne is made from Chardonnay.