Alexandre Lamblot, Mouvance, 2021

Alexandre Lamblot is part of a new generation of natural-leaning vignerons making waves in Champagne. He farms 3.5 Ha of vines scattered across Vrigny, Chenay, Janvry and Gueux which are a combination of vines he inherited from his family and some that he rents and farms himself. To increase biodiversity, he minimises tilling (using only light, mini tractors when he scratches the soils), allows indigenous plants to grow, sends chickens in the vines to feed and fertilise, and he embraces Vitoforestry, planting around 100 different species of trees in each hectare His attention to detail is carried into the cellar where each press is vinified on its own and ferments with indigenous yeasts in a mix of 228 to 600 litre barrels, mostly used. Lamblot bottles the wines at around 11 months without fining, filtration or cold stabilisation. SO2 levels are kept relatively low, around 15-20 mg total at bottling. The resulting Champagnes are reminiscent of the brooding power and intensity of Cedric Bouchard with the voodoo Meunier complexity and magic of Jérome Prévost.