Story
Leclapart David
Trépail · Champagne · France
In the eastern side of the Montagne de Reims, in the village of Trépail, David Léclapart produces completely unique champagne of exceptional quality from three hectares of vineyards. Unusually for this region, his vineyards are planted almost entirely by Chardonnay. He adheres to four basic principles as a wine grower: purity, energy, pleasure, ecology and this is exactly the reason why biodynamics was the only path that he could follow. He took over the family vineyard after his father’s death in 1998, immediately switched to biodynamic methods, and 2 years later has been certified. His champagnes are often referred to as ‘spiritual’ because they provide a unique emotional experience. At their best, they exhibit a crystalline clarity and a complex, mineral-driven intensity.
“The exact care he puts on the vines extends to the cellar, where all primarily fermentations are by natural yeasts and there are no additives.”
All champagnes are zero dosage and from a single vintage. His ‘L’Amateur’ cuvée is vinified in enamel-lined tanks, because he believes that the stainless steel has a negative effect on the wine. The other wines, such as the extremely rare ‘L’Aphrodisiaque’ are aged in used, top quality barrels from domaine Leflaive in Burgundy.
