WTN: NV Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Clos

Is this the only Champagne out here made from seven different grapes? I know that Aubry and Moutard both use some of the 'lost' grapes, but the most grapes in any other Champagne that I know of is 6 (Aubry Le Nombre d'Or Campanae Veteres Vites and Moutard Cuvée 6 Cépages).

NV Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Clos
A field blend of 18% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Meunier, 17% Pinot Blanc, 15% Petit Meslier, 14% Pinot Noir, 10% Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), and 8% Arbanne. (What, no Bachet Noir?) This might sound like a “let’s include them all” gimmick, but it works quite well, to the point where it’s essentially a Champenois counterpart to Deiss’ Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim. I am not sure what the latest vintage in the solera was; the neck label read “L-09”, if that means anything. No disgorgement date was given.
Good mousse; interestingly, rather large bubbles for a high-quality Champagne. Very nice spiced pear/floral./tropical fruit nose. Medium-bodied, bone dry, with good finesse, precise, and structured. Great acidity here. Lightly toasty/smoky, very mineral, and winy, with notes of white bread, honey, hay, apples, cantaloupe, limes, and tropical fruits. Nice length and depth. Too bad that this is not distributed in Massachusetts yet. Excellent.

The name ‘Les Clos’ is being changed to ‘Les 7’ for future releases - perhaps because Chablis growers wanted to protect the name of one of their Grands Crus?

Agrapart does a 'Sept Crus' bottling.

well, sept crus would be seven villages wouldn't it? i do remember seeing one made from 7 grapes from a producer either from Pierry or Moussy - just can't remember the name right now.

Andrew, since several years I visit the family Laherte on a regular basis and as far as I remember "Les 7" should really be the only Champagne cuvée based on all seven varieties. And why "Les 7" and no more "Le Clos"? The reply seems to be quite simple - the authorities couldn´t accept the name if all of the vineyards included in "Le Clos" are not with walls round as it is the case in Burgundy for example. That is why the Laherts were obliged to change the label.

Andrew, since several years I visit the family Laherte on a regular basis and as far as I remember "Les 7" should really be the only Champagne cuvée based on all seven varieties. And why "Les 7" and no more "Les Clos"? The reply seems to be quite simple - the authorities couldn´t accept the name if all of the vineyards included in "Les Clos" are not with walls round as it is the case in Burgundy for example. That is why the Laherts were obliged to change the label.

Now I buy already "Les 7" (the former no more available) but the last bottle of "Les Clos" is impatiently waiting in my fridge for to be opened soon...