The first bottles to bear the Lallier name appeared in 1906, when the Champagne house was founded by René Lallier who had married into a prestigious Champenois family. Lallier has been firmly rooted in the village of Aÿ ever since. In 1936, Aÿ was one of the seventeen villages to be classified as ‘‘Grand Cru” in Champagne, a clear indication of the quality of the grapes that grow on its famous hillsides and the remarkable wines they produce.
In 1996, René-James Lallier, the founder’s grandson, carried out major modernisation work on the winery and refurbished the cellars in which Lallier’s Champagnes are aged. Francis Tribault has now taken over the business, convinced of the potential of Lallier brand.
Free to craft wine in the spirit of an artisan domaine, Francis vinifies each parcel of grapes separately using a Lallier’s own ‘house’ yeast, and he keeps the dosage low to create Champagnes with real character and finesse.
This is a champagne of exhilarating freshness, complexity and finesse, the flagship blend of Lallier. The blend is Pinot Noir 65%, Chardonnay 35%. The energising citrusy palate delivers an equal measure of ripe, toasty fruit followed by a tasty, elegant finish.
