Review- Aurélien Lurquin
Great champagne is made in the vineyard, not in the cellar. It's something the greatest of great natural champagne producers seem to all agree on. One is Aurélien Lurquin, a champagne producer in Romery in Valée de la Marne. When I first tasted his Blanc de Blancs 2016, I was hit by waves of lemon, grass and flowers. The complexity was almost too overwhelming. When I recovered, I stood up and opened my laptop to write this review. So below, you'll find my slightly tipsy view of Aurélien Lurquin champagne.
Like grandfather, like grandson
Sometimes, passion skips a generation. Aurélien's grandfather used to be a vineyard worker for the Lanson domaine. He grew his own grapes on 2,3 hectares for a hobby. Thanks to this hobby, Aurélien is now one of the "big ones" in Champagne. His oeuvre covers several spectacular natural champagnes and three coteaux champenois. At an early age, he knew he'd become a vigneron, and after studying in Beaune, he left to gain some experience in Chile. He returned to France inspired and spent some time working for Luc Pavelot in Burgundy. Pavelot introduced him to organic and biodynamic principles. This would give Aurélien Lurquin a head start when he took over the family vineyards.
Aurélien Lurquin champagne certification
From the very beginning, Aurélien Lurquin looked for ways to work as organically as possible. He got rid of herbicides and chemicals and put all his time and effort into the vines. Just like David Léclapart, he believes it all starts with healthy vineyards. His have a base of silty sand and a combination of limestone-rich clay and wet chalk, which tends to get quite complex. It's why his horse Tintin ploughs the soil for months to allow the ground to breathe and stay balanced.
Officially, Aurélien Lurquin champagne is certified as organic. However, Aurélien applies many of the biodynamic principles too. He uses biodynamic preparations in the vineyards to limit the use of copper and sulphur to a minimum. He grows grass to create more diversity in the soil, and when the grape juice is in the tank, he uses only indigenous yeast and small amounts of liquid sulphur.
Picky pickers
What's interesting about Aurélien Lurquin champagne is his strictness in grape picking. Aurélien briefs his pickers to be very picky about grape quality and has them select only the most excellent grapes. Before driving them to the press, Aurélien lets them recheck quality and repeats this check before the grapes disappear in the Coquard press. Because of these checks, Aurélien Lurquin champagne consists of high-quality grapes exclusively, which might be the secret to his success.
Champagnes
Blanc de blancs
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romery | 100% Chardonnay | Only 420 bottles produced | Brut nature | 9/10 |
Blanc de Meunier
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romery | 100% Meunier | Only 420 bottles produced | Brut nature | 9.3/10 |
Want to learn more? Get my guide
In ‘Champagne - The Ultimate Guide’ I talk you through the basics of champagne making, grape varieties, flavours and my favourite producers and hotspots. Get a copy below!