From a 0.4-hectare west-facing lieu-dit in Chavot-Courcourt, planted between 1953 and 1978 on shallow soils barely 20 centimeters deep, Laherte’s 2018 Blanc de Blancs Les Grandes Crayères was disgorged in November 2023 with a dosage of two grams per liter. It reveals aromas of green apple, lemon zest, oyster shell and early-blooming white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, it is taut and chalky, with considerable concentration and a spine of incisive acidity. The saline, lemon-inflected finish lends the wine freshness that is rare in this ripe vintage but unsurprising, given that it’s made without malolactic fermentation. - Kristaps Karklins