George Laval Les Longues Violes

Organic and biodynamics are the thing of the moment, but in the 1990s, when a winegrower explained that all his work in the vineyard and in the winery was carried out following the position of the moon, he got some suspicious looks. However, visionaries like George Laval have been proven right over time, and on his family estate of just 3 hectares in Cumiéres, northwest of Epernay (AOC Champagne), he has managed to set himself apart from the big houses and become a pioneer in the production of organic champagnes. Today his son Vincent carries the legacy and, as president of the Association of Organic Champagne Producers, showcases the aromas and flavours of a unique clay-limestone soil in everything he makes.

His George Laval Les Longues Violes comes from a legendary plot called “Les Longues Violes”. Although it may seem incredible in this region, the land has never been treated with chemical products and the vines are over 30 years old. These are organically cultivated Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines supported by biodynamic treatments. The grapes are harvested and selected by hand when they reach optimum ripeness. The winery continues to follow a completely artisan process, maintaining tradition. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts in oak barrels and then the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, following the champenoise method, where it remains on the lees for about 7 years and riddling is strictly by hand on the riddling racks.

With no expedition liqueur added (Brut Nature) and a limited production of around 1,500 bottles, George Laval Les Longues Violes has become a true icon of the region since the first vintage. There is no doubt that this is the maximum expression of naturalness, the result of a commitment to organic practices passed down from generation to generation.