The Story

The Lacourte family has been farming the unique terroir around the village of Ecueil for generations, but like many of their neighbors, sold mostly to the local co-op until Geraldine Lacourte’s parents started bottling some wine under their own label in 1968. When Geraldine and her husband Richard decided to come aboard in 2006, they set about learning as much as they could about farming and winemaking. They had the good fortune to connect with Eric Rodez (former chef du cave at Krug), and, with his help, they zeroed in on the art of blending micro-parcels to achieve the utmost balance, textural complexity, and pure drink-it-up deliciousness. They converted all their vineyards to organic farming and began using the marketing and business savvy from their previous careers to get their wines in front of the right people. Fast-forward 16 years and all that work is really paying off. 

“Terroirs d’Ecueil” is exactly that: a Champagne that showcases the terroir of Ecueil, their Premier Cru home village on the famed Montagne de Reims. The soils here have a healthy dose of sand mixed in with the clay and limestone, something that is not common in the Montagne de Reims. This adds extra elegance and a textural lift to the richness of Pinot Noir (85% of the blend) which reigns supreme in this region. Some aging of the base wines in neutral oak barrels, a healthy 35% of reserve wines, and a small amount of Chardonnay in the blend all contribute to a sense of precision and pedigree that you would expect to cost twice as much. After 30 months of sur lie maturation, the wine was disgorged and topped off with a modest five-gram dosage. 

Why You'll Love It:

• This wine displays a brilliant straw-yellow core with light gold and green reflections on the rim. 
• Rich and creamy aromas of red and yellow apple, quince, lemon blossom, white mushroom, honeysuckle, hazelnut, and delicate purple flowers are woven around a strong core of mineral notes.

• A “ground floor” opportunity to get in on something big—or perhaps, just stock up on delicious grower Champagne at an exceedingly reasonable price! 

How To Serve It:

• Chill to 50 degrees and enjoy in all purpose stems
• Excellent on its own, the Terroirs d’Ecueil has lots of structure and a palpable Pinot Noir character, making it a great candidate for pairing a wide range of dishes. 
• Enjoy with smoked salmon, prosciutto and melon, soft creamy cheeses like camembert or brie and/or most excellent with roasted chicken and pommes frites