A971 BENOIT LAHAYE CHAMPAGNE GRAND CRU BRUT NATURE 750ml

Brut Nature is the domaine’s flagship cuvée, produced in a non-dosé style. The blend is 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, sourced from Grand Cru vineyards in Bouzy and Ambonnay, with vines averaging 30–35 years of age.

Made from fully ripe grapes grown under biodynamic cultivation, the wine achieves a generous, textured fruit profile without the need for added sugar, balanced by saline minerality and precision. Dégorgement: February 2024.

Benoît Lahaye is a récoltant-manipulant based in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy in the Montagne de Reims. Widely regarded as a pioneer of biodynamics in Champagne, he produces artisanal wines defined by concentration and a pure sense of vitality, distinct from the style of the large houses.

He took over the family vineyards in 1993 and began estate bottling in 1996. Around this time, influenced by the Alsatian natural wine pioneer Patrick Meyer, he transitioned to organic farming, completely eliminating chemical fertilizers and herbicides. In 2002, his encounter with Hervé Jestin—one of Champagne’s leading biodynamic winemakers—further deepened both his viticultural and winemaking philosophy. Benoît's Pinot Noir from Bouzy is also used in Hervé Jestin’s Cuvée Champagne Jestin.

The domaine comprises just 4.8 hectares of vineyards, yet the quality of these living soils ranks among the finest in Champagne. Approximately 88% of the plantings are Pinot Noir. To avoid soil compaction and preserve microbial life, Benoît Lahaye has used horse ploughing instead of tractors since 2010. Cover crops are grown between the rows to promote biodiversity.

In the cellar, he follows a low-intervention approach: no temperature control, no filtration, and fermentation exclusively with indigenous yeasts. Key stages such as bottling are timed according to the biodynamic calendar, favoring “fruit days” and “flower days” aligned with lunar and celestial cycles.

Across the range, Benoît Lahaye’s Champagnes are made with minimal or zero dosage, typically in Brut Nature or Extra Brut styles.