Georges Laval, Champagne 1er Cru AOC Cumieres, Brut Nature

About Georges Laval

While the Laval family has been growing vines for four generations, Georges Laval began producing estate-bottled champagne in 1971. His son Vincent (pictured) joined the estate after finishing his studies in 1991, and has been in charge of the cellars since 1996. Laval s vineyard holdings comprise just 2.5 hectares, including a half-hectare of meunier in Chambrecy, in the Vall e de l Ardre in the western Montagne de Reims, that is sold to the n goce. The other two hectares are all in the premier cru village of Cumi res, spread over seven parcels. Average vine age is over 30 years, and the oldest vines of the estate are over 70 years of age. The Lavals have been practicing organic viticulture since 1971, certified by Ecocert. It s a little more difficult to work organically than conventionally, says Vincent Laval, but it can be done, of course, and afterwards you have a better conscience. He notes that having larger parcels of vines makes it easier to work organically, with less pollution from neighbors, and over the years the Lavals have traded parcels of land whenever possible in order to assemble larger blocks of vines. Organic compost is used, and cover crops are planted in all of the plots, with regular tilling to oxygenate the soil and encourage the roots to descend deeper.