Legrand Latour

History of Champagne Legrand Latour

The story of Domaine Legrand-Latour spans four generations and is rooted in the village of Fleury-la-Rivière, on the right bank of the Marne. Founded by winegrowers passionate about Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the estate long supplied its grapes to a local cooperative, upholding an uncompromising commitment to quality. Everything changed in 2007 when Thibault Legrand joined his parents and began rethinking their vineyard practices. Inspired by his father Patrice’s passion for geology—an amateur paleontologist, Patrice had dug underground galleries to unearth Cretaceous and Paleocene fossils—Thibault decided in 2012 to abandon herbicides and convert the vineyards first to organic and then to biodynamic farming. This break marked the start of a new era: in 2017, he left the cooperative to make his own cuvées, with the help of his childhood friend Flavien Nowack. Today, "Cave aux Coquillages", a geological museum excavated 300 meters underground, serves both as an aging cellar and as a living testament to Champagne’s marine heritage. This family story, combining geology, respect for nature and winemaking precision, has made Legrand-Latour an emerging, increasingly important producer in the Marne Valley.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Champagne Legrand Latour

Legrand-Latour’s terroirs are a geological treasure, shaped by a tropical sea that covered the region 56 to 33 million years ago, leaving layers of clay, marl, fine sand, sandstone and limestone rich in shell fossils. Located mainly in Fleury-la-Rivière, but also in Vandières and Verneuil, these 4 hectares of vines enjoy ideal southeastern exposure on midslope hillsides. The chalky, marly subsoil gives the wines deep minerality and a distinctive saline structure, while the silty-clay soils encourage balanced phenolic ripeness. Thibault Legrand uses low- and no-till practices, fostering biodiversity through permanent ground cover, clover to fix nitrogen and even agroforestry with fruit trees. The vines, averaging 30 to 35 years old, are tended by hand without a tractor to preserve soil life and express the diversity of geological periods, from the Eocene to the Lutetian. This exceptional Demeter-certified terroir produces grapes of rare vitality, ideal for cuvées that capture the mineral essence of the Marne Valley.

Winemaking at Champagne Legrand Latour

Winemaking at Domaine Legrand-Latour is an art of precision and minimal intervention, guided by a geo-oenological philosophy that respects the terroir. The grapes, carefully pressed at fellow winemakers’ facilities, ferment spontaneously in new oak barrels for 12 months, with no added sugar, fining agents or selected yeasts; minimal sulfur is used only if necessary. The blend draws on parcels selected by geological stratum to express the soil in its purest form. Secondary fermentation uses the innovative "Agrapart" method: fresh grape must from the following harvest, no longer frozen since 2020, avoids any addition of alcohol and preserves a wine made from 100% grape juice. Bottled under natural cork, the wines age for 30 to 42 months on the lees in the cellars of Cave aux Coquillages, at 12°C and with ideal humidity. Riddling and disgorgement are done by hand, without pumping or artifice, yielding taut, vibrant Brut Nature Champagnes. This biodynamic approach, without excessive dosage, highlights the wines’ chalky depth and energy.

The Cuvées of Champagne Legrand Latour

Legrand-Latour’s cuvées, named after geological periods, are liquid tributes to the fossil layers of their terroirs. Produced in limited quantities, they offer wines with a distinctive identity.

Yprésien: This Extra Brut Champagne captures the essence of the Ypresian stage, the earliest part of the Eocene (56 to 48 million years ago), with its layers of marl, clay, sand and sandstone in Vandières and Verneuil. Predominantly Meunier (80%) with Pinot Noir (20%) from the 2020 vintage, it is aged for 12 months in oak barrels followed by 42 months on the lees, without dosage or additives. This precise winemaking yields just 3,583 numbered bottles, revealing intense aromas of dried fruit, citrus peel, white spices and tobacco. Dry and structured on the palate, it unfolds with saline minerality, chalky depth and a sharp, lingering finish.

Éocène: Embodying the purity of the Eocene (56 to 34 million years ago), this Brut Nature cuvée blends equal parts Chardonnay and Meunier from the fossil-rich soils of Verneuil and Vandières. Vinified for 12 months in oak barrels without added sugar or fining, then aged for 42 months on the lees, it yields 7,722 bottles with fine, lively bubbles. Its aromatic profile evolves from fresh citrus and white flowers to notes of wet stone, dried fruit and delicate spices, underpinned by chalky minerality. Taut and elegant, Éocène offers depth.

Lutétien: Inspired by the Lutetian age (45 million years ago), when a tropical sea deposited calcareous sands and fossils in Vandières, this Brut Nature blends 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir from the 2020 vintage. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels, with fresh grape must used for secondary fermentation, then for more than 42 months on the lees without dosage, it is limited to 2,623 bottles. Marine aromas of chalk, citrus, apple and flowers intertwine with saline and iodine nuances. Taut and dry on the palate, it offers vibrant structure and precision, expressing its geological heritage through a talc-like texture reminiscent of great limestone terroirs.

Campanien: Evoking the Campanian stage of the Cretaceous (approximately 83 to 72 million years ago), this Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs cuvée is made exclusively from Pinot Meunier grown on mature vines in Œuilly, on clayey, chalky-silty soils. From the 2019 vintage, it ferments naturally and ages for 11 months on the lees in neutral barrels, followed by 2 to 3 years under cork. With no dosage, production is limited to 2,128 bottles. Fresh apple and quince on the nose give way to a palate with surprising light bitterness and bright acidity, against a rich, structured mineral backdrop. Ideal for lovers of powerful, expressive sparkling wines.

Turbidité: An unusual, innovative cuvée blending Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir to explore the turbidity of marine sediments. Intentionally only partially disgorged to retain a milky haze from the fine lees, it offers creamy bubbles and a uniquely smooth texture, without chemical artifice. Aged first in barrels and then for an extended period on the lees in Cave aux Coquillages, this small-production wine—a true Champagne original—reveals complex aromas of white fruit, spice and smoky minerality, with a full, saline and lingering palate.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Legrand-Latour Champagnes and discover wines that transcend time, from fossil to glass. Shop now at the best price on Vins & Millésimes and order your bottles for fast delivery!