Champagne Laherte Frères Ultradition 375ml NV Base 16. 40% Reserve. Disg. Jul 2018

This is Ultradition, the Meunier-led house blend of Laherte Frères, in the 375ml half bottle, with forty per cent reserve wine as stated on the label.

Laherte Frères is a grower house at Chavot in the Coteaux Sud d'Épernay, in the family since 1889 and run by Aurélien Laherte since 2005. Ultradition is its principal cuvée, around sixty per cent Pinot Meunier with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir behind it, drawn from parcels around the home village. The fruit is pressed and fermented parcel by parcel on indigenous yeasts, mostly in neutral Burgundian barrels with some foudre and tank, and reserve wine held back from earlier harvests makes up the proportion given on the label. The wine then spends an extended stretch on lees in bottle and is disgorged with a low dosage, base year and date declared. The half bottle is filled from the same blend and, because it ages faster, is best drunk on the earlier side.

An easy format for two, or for a single course. Serve at around 8°C with fried whitebait, roast chicken or a salty hard cheese.