R&L Legras
The Blanc de Blancs that Paris’s stars chose first
Chouilly, the northern tip of the Côte des Blancs
Chardonnay shines brightest in Champagne on the Côte des Blancs, “the hillside of white grapes”. It has five Grand Cru villages, and the northernmost of them is Chouilly.
Chouilly’s vineyards have gentle slopes and generous sunshine, so the grapes ripen fully. The subsoil is white chalk, but some plots contain clay, which lends power and weight to the wine. That is why Chouilly’s Blanc de Blancs is straight-backed in acidity yet rich and creamy. The Champagne house that represents this village is R&L Legras.
1808: Honoré Legras
The Legras family’s roots in Chouilly reach back to the 16th century. Their story as grape growers began in earnest in 1808, when Honoré Legras bought vineyards in the village.
In the 1950s his descendants, the brothers René and Lucien, became growers who also made their own Champagne. The name “R&L” is understood to come from the initials of the two brothers.
A house devoted to Chardonnay
Legras has focused on Blanc de Blancs, made from Chardonnay alone. All of its own vineyards are Grand Cru, and any additional grapes are sourced only within the village of Chouilly.
The wines are made only in stainless steel, to reveal the taste of Chouilly’s soil rather than dress it in oak. Time, however, is never spared. The legal minimum ageing is 15 months, but Legras’s Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru rests on its yeast in bottle for more than three years before release. Lemon and grapefruit freshness is followed by gentle notes of brioche and toast.
The sommeliers’ secret
The first to recognise the Legras name were the sommeliers of Paris. Gérard Barbier, who worked alongside the brothers, led the house for more than 30 years, and today his son Julien Barbier carries it on.
Legras Blanc de Blancs has served as the house Champagne at La Tour d’Argent, a Paris restaurant with centuries of history, and at the restaurant of star chef Guy Savoy. Rather than flashy advertising, the house has quietly built its name at France’s finest tables.
Saint Vincent, only in great years
The pride of Legras is Cuvée Saint Vincent. Named after Saint Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers, it is made only in years with the strength to age long. Only grapes from the best sites in Chouilly, from vines over 40 years old, are selected and aged for a long time in the chalk cellars.
2012 began with a harsh spring, but from mid-July the weather cleared and sunshine lasted until harvest. The Saint Vincent 2012 we import rested on its yeast for nearly 13 years, gaining deep maturity. The first impression of citrus is the same, but the brioche and toast that follow are deeper and richer than in the NV, and the softly integrated bubbles wrap the palate in creaminess. It pairs with roasted dishes, seafood and poultry, and with caviar and foie gras too. Champagne critic Richard Juhlin went so far as to suggest keeping Saint Vincent for at least 20 years.
The critics’ verdict
- Saint Vincent Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2012 — Richard Juhlin 4 stars, Jancis Robinson 17 points
- Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV — Jamie Goode 93 points, Jeannie Cho 93 points, Stephen Tanzer 92 points, Luca Gardini 91 points
Two hundred years devoted to Chardonnay alone — that conviction is in every glass.