Why it matters
The producer
The Lafalise family has grown grapes in Verzenay since 1885. Paul Froissart represents the sixth generation of the family in viticulture, working a five hectare estate divided into 40 individual plots across chalk, silt and clay.
The house makes Champagne from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards, with each small parcel contributing to a range of numbered cuvées. Organic certification and biodynamic farming guide the vineyard work, while horse plowing is used for soil regeneration and aeration.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The vineyards include Grand Cru holdings in Verzenay and Verzy, together with a small Premier Cru plot in Dizy. Grand Cru and Premier Cru are Champagne vineyard classifications that appear on the label alongside the place name. The range therefore draws on two Grand Cru villages and one Premier Cru site.
Wines to know
The range in view
Cuvée 045 Grand Cru Extra Brut is made from 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay from Verzenay, with 16% reserve wine. The cuvée comes from Les Rochelles, where clay lies over hard chalk.
Cuvée 276 Brut Nature Grand Cru is 100% Pinot Noir from a single plot, with 16% reserve wine. It comes from Les Longues Raies on Graveluches soil, a mixture of limestone and clay, and produces 1,600 bottles annually. Brut Nature means zero dosage, with no sugar added after disgorgement.