Tarlant Zero Rose Brut Nature NV
Tarlant Zero Rose Brut Nature NV – alternate view 2
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Tarlant Zero Rose Brut Nature NV

Tarlant
$95.00

Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Vintage: NV
Type: Sparkling

This low-intervention grower Champagne rosé is a traditional wood-fermented blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from the village of Œilly. The Tarlant family handles the fruit from estate-owned plots using a hands-off cellar approach, allowing a spontaneous fermentation driven by native wild yeasts. The pinot noir grapes are destemmed and undergo a brief skin maceration before being pressed directly into old Burgundy barrels. The base components mature on their fine lees in barrel before secondary bottle fermentation without any added sugar.

It pours a copper-pink color with a persistent stream of fine bubbles, releasing complex aromas of wild red fruit and field flowers. A creamy yet linear mousse delivers a rich fruit concentration balanced by a sharp line of limestone acidity. A bracing wave of natural freshness runs through the center, keeping the fluid frame refreshed. It concludes with a clean, bone-dry finish.

Aurélien Laherte is part of a dynamic generation of young vignerons making waves in Champagne and producing a fine array of terroir-driven wines using a natural approach to viticulture and winemaking. Aurélien took over in 2005 sheparding the estate to become one of the most progressive and dynamic rising stars in the appellation.

The Laherte family has a long history in the region. Founded in 1889 by Jean-Baptiste Laherte, the estate was originally made up of vines primarily in the village of Chavot. Fourth generation vigneron Michel Laherte expanded the family estate which then covered about five hectares. 

The Laherte vineyards are situated largely in the Côteaux Sud D'Epernay, an interesting sub-region sandwiched between the Cotes des Blancs and the Vallee de la Marne, with pockets of soils that greatly resemble these two fine and geologically diverse regions. The vineyards themselves total 10.5 hectares (over 75 separate parcels), seven of which are farmed biodynamically and certified organic, with the rest farmed either 'uncertified organic' or at least sustainably. 

These wines are all vinified in used Burgundy barrels, without malolactic fermentation, and are bottled without fining and filtration. They are then finished with little or no dosage so as to not mask the individuality of the underlying terroirs.