Champagne Leclerc Briant

There are Champagne houses that follow tradition. And then there are those who reinvent them. The Champagne Leclerc Briant, based in Épernay, belongs to this second family: that of the pioneers, the daring, those who seek in the earth and the living a deeper truth of wine. For over a century, this iconoclastic house has cultivated a singular style, both precise and vibrant, where nature speaks before the hand of man.

Today run by husband-and-wife team Frédéric Zeimett and Philippe Brun, under the impetus of American owner Mark Nunnelly, Leclerc Briant has become a global benchmark for biodynamic champagne. Each cuvée embodies a subtle balance of elegance, energy and terroir. And behind every bottle, we find the same philosophy: let nature express itself, without constraining it.

The history of Champagne Leclerc Briant began in 1872, when Lucien Leclerc founded his estate in Cumières, on the right bank of the Marne. By the 1950s, his descendant Bertrand Leclerc and his wife Jacqueline Briant had given the estate its current name and made it one of the first Champagne houses to adopt a visionary, artisanal approach.

In the 1980s, when intensive viticulture still dominated the region, their son Pascal Leclerc Briant was a pioneer. He was among the very first to convert his vineyard to organic farming, then to introduce biodynamics into his practices. At a time when this philosophy was often considered marginal, he dared to assert that "champagne is only alive if it is born from a living earth"

When Pascal died in 2010, the house seemed to falter. Part of the vineyard was sold. But in 2012, a new lease of life arrives: American couple Mark Nunnelly and Denise Dupré buy the house, with the determination to preserve Pascal's visionary spirit. They entrusted management to Frédéric Zeimett, formerly of Moët & Chandon, and Philippe Brun, a talented oenologist. Together, they revive Leclerc Briant with fresh energy, remaining true to the original philosophy: respect for nature, boldness and a quest for emotion.

The Champagne Leclerc Briant today cultivates around 15 hectares of vines, supplemented by purchases of grapes exclusively from organic and biodynamic viticulture. The parcels stretch over prestigious terroirs: Épernay, Cumières, Hautvillers, Dizy, Mareuil-sur-Ay, and Verneuil.

The house has chosen a global approach: not just organic, but biodynamic, according to Steiner's principles. The soils are ploughed, the vines cared for with natural preparations (horn dung, silica, plant decoctions), and the grapes are harvested by hand. Every decision is taken with an eye to the lunar rhythm, to harmonize the vines with cosmic forces. Indigenous yeasts, low doses of sulfur, slow fermentations and prolonged ageing are an integral part of the philosophy. Even the cellars, dug into the chalk beneath Épernay, are conceived as a living ecosystem, where the wines evolve slowly, sheltered from light and vibrations. The house is also experimenting with novel methods: partial aging in amphorae, oak foudres, and even underwater immersion in the Abyss cuvée, a world first.

Leclerc Briant style: vibrancy and depth

Leclerc Briant is today one of the few houses whose style is based on a strong idea: champagne as a wine in its own right, not just a festive effervescent. Each cuvée aims to express the purity of terroir and the vibrancy of life.

The wines display a recognizable hallmark: fine, integrated bubbles, ample body, often floral and saline aromas, and a mineral tension reminiscent of Champagne chalk. Biodynamic viticulture gives them extra energy, an aromatic luminosity that is evident from the very first nose.

The dosages are made by hand.

The dosages are low, often Extra Brut or Brut Nature, to preserve the truth of the fruit. Leclerc Briant champagnes do not seek the easy way out, but sincerity. These are wines that breathe, that evolve, that tell something of the place and the year.

The emblematic cuvées of Champagne Leclerc Briant

Leclerc Briant Brut Réserve

This is the gateway to the Leclerc Briant universe, a balanced blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The nose opens with aromas of almond, pear and light brioche. On the palate, the bubbles are fine, the attack fresh and the texture silky. The saline finish underlines the mineral tension. A vibrant champagne of natural elegance.

Wine and food pairings: ideal with scallop carpaccio, hard cheese, or red tuna sashimi.

Rosé Brut

A delicate blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this rosé seduces with its luminous color and aromas of wild strawberry, redcurrant and dried rose. On the palate, the bubbles gently caress the palate, supported by a taut, fresh structure. This is a wine that is both romantic and precise, perfectly embodying the balance between indulgence and structure.

Wine and food pairings: perfect with salmon tartare, red fruit risotto, or poultry with herbs.

Blanc de Meuniers

About 100% Pinot Meunier, this singular white reveals the often overlooked richness of this grape variety. The nose evokes hazelnut, quince and baked apple. The palate is full-bodied, almost vinous, with lemony tension and a salivating finish. A champagne of character, both powerful and nuanced.

Wine and food pairings: pan-fried foie gras, wild mushrooms, or a lightly spiced Asian dish.

Blanc de Blancs

A pure Chardonnay from the best slopes of Épernay. Fine, taut, crystalline, it is distinguished by notes of citrus, white flowers and chalk. Straightforward and precise on the palate, supported by fine bubbles and remarkable mineral length. This is the quintessential Leclerc Briant style: purity and light.

Wine and food pairings: oysters, ceviche, white fish, or fresh goat's cheese.

Abyss

Fascinating vintage, aged under the sea at a depth of 60 meters, off Ouessant. The wine, made according to the strictest biodynamic rules, is immersed for several months in the darkness and silence of the sea. The result is a champagne of incredible energy: iodized aromas, marked salinity, extreme tension. Abyss evokes the ocean, chalk and depth. A rare sensory experience.

Wine and food pairings: seafood, sea urchins, flat oysters, or sea bream carpaccio.

At Leclerc Briant, biodynamics is not limited to the vineyard: it permeates the entire philosophy of the house. The completely renovated Épernay cellars are designed as a self-sufficient ecosystem: solar electricity, natural temperature management, water recycling. Fermentations are carried out by gravity, without brutal pumping, to preserve the vitality of the wines. Disgorgement is manual, dosage minimal, and each cuvée benefits from a long rest on lees before release. Frédéric Zeimett likes to say that "wine should breathe before it speaks". And that's exactly what happens here: each Leclerc Briant champagne seems alive, vibrant, animated by an energy that goes beyond mere gustatory pleasure.