Etienne Lefevre

Champagne Etienne Lefèvre is a family-run grower estate in the grand cru village of Verzy on the Montagne de Reims. Verzy is one of the 17 grand cru villages of the Montagne de Reims, out of 319 villages in the Champagne region as a whole. The estate is run as a propriétaire-récoltant, so the grapes come from its own vineyards. In the press it is mostly associated with Etienne and Anne-Marie Lefèvre.

Family and vineyards

The family has a long history in Verzy. Documents trace the Lefèvre winegrowing family in Verzy back to the year 1621. The family farms plots in Verzenay and Verzy, both grand cru villages. According to one wine guide, the planted area is around 9 hectares. Verzy is regarded as the heartland of Pinot Noir, which suits a range that leans heavily on this grape variety.

Cuvées and winemaking

The range includes Carte Blanche Tradition Brut, Réserve Carte d'Or, Brut Rosé, Brut Prestige and the Cuvée des Ancêtres. There is also a Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru. The blends in detail:

• Réserve Carte d'Or: 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. It is also available in half bottle, magnum and jeroboam.
• Brut Prestige: half Pinot Noir, half Chardonnay.
• Cuvée des Ancêtres: the 2004 vintage is 100% Pinot Noir.

The wines are made by the méthode champenoise. They are aged in stainless steel tanks, and the white-wine cuvées go through malolactic fermentation and are filtered, but not fined. The Blanc de Noirs Brut Grand Cru won a silver medal at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2015.

Visiting and tasting

The estate welcomes guests at 30 Rue de Villers. Visitors see cellars that were cut more than 15 metres deep into the chalk in the middle of the 19th century. The Comité Champagne website gives opening hours of Monday to Friday (9 to 11.30 and 2 to 6 pm) and Saturday (10 to 12 and 2 to 5 pm). You should book a cellar visit in advance, ideally by phone on +33 3 26 97 96 99. One visitor report praises the tasting with the grower, which Madame Lefèvre begins with the Réserve Carte d'Or.