Have you ever had Albert Lebrun Grand Cru Champagne? We wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t because these bubbles are hard to find.
Albert Lebrun is not as omnipresent in stores and is well-known as Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, and Taittinger. Still, the quality is on par because it’s all about terroir in Champagne.
In France and the rest of Old World wine regions, the quality, reputation, and price of wine are determined primarily by the place and its terroir rather than the winemaker, label’s name, and marketing might. Philosophically, the winemaker there is “a second fiddle” to the vineyards where the grapes come from.
That’s why even the small and little known producers in “the right place” capable of producing high quality and even spectacular wines. It’s the case of Albert Lebrun Champagne house founded in 1860.
It’s located in Chalons-en-Champagne, near Reims – the heart of the region. It is run by five brothers – the third-generation descendants of the original founder.
At the turn of the 20th century, Albert Lebrun was in a dire financial situation and went through back to back acquisitions. At the time, the Champagne house had no marketing or sales strategy. Yet, they were sitting on an inventory of almost a million bottles of fantastic Champagne.
While you can find it in North American and European stores, they are small in both production and marketing budget compared to Champagne’s titans. Yet, they have access to the region’s top cru sites, and, as we said before, terroir trumps the name.
In the Bottle
Champagne has a history of vine-growing that dates back to the dawn of Christianity. In the past two centuries, Champagne established a reputation for producing the best bubbles in the world and is a golden standard in this wine category.
Brands and labels aside, there are three Champagne quality levels made: Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru, and Champagne Grand Cru. This gradation is determined by one thing – the vineyard’s location.
Albert Lebrun produces a range of bubbles in all three categories. In the past, we had their Vieille France Brut Rose and were looking forward to tasting the top of the line Grand Cru.
So what makes Grand Cru the best? Location, location, location! The Champagne region’s best-growing sites that consistently produce high-quality fruit in this challenging cool climate. And there are only seventeen villages that qualify. The grapes for this bubbly came exclusively from one of them.
Albert Lebrun Grand Cru Champagne
The marker of quality was apparent in the medium golden color of Albert Lebrun. It was the first indicator of high-quality ripe fruit that went into it. On the contrary, entry-level Champagnes are quite pale in color, and it’s expected.
We sensed the aromas of baked apple and peach, fresh-baked baguette and toast, and classic Champagne chalky minerality.
The mousse had a fine bubble with a creamy sensation. On the palate, it all came together: a pie crust with baked apple, lemon, orange, and lemon rind.
The aftertaste was like a slice of buttered baguette toast with homemade apple butter. Yeah! I want it now too.
Finish
It’s easy to get used to the good stuff. Albert Lebrun was a second Grand Cru Champagne we tasted within a few weeks. Frank Bonville Grand Cru was also super delicious. It’s a “dangerous” habit development in the process. Grand Crus are expensive, and it’s hard to enjoy lesser wines after one falls in love with the best.
If you never had Grand Cru, you should spoil yourself at least once to learn what you’re missing or not. Albert Lebrun can be a good start if you can find one. We got it at around $30, and that’s almost half the price of entry-priced Grand Crus. Definitely belongs to our wine list, fantastic value recommendation.
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