Hure Freres Champagne Brut Invitation NV

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Arriving at the front gate of Champagne Huré Frères, in the village of Ludes on the northern side of the Montaigne de Reims, you are greeted by a sign reading “vignobles facent au nord,” proudly declaring the estate the home of north-facing vineyards.

Back in 1960, when Georges Huré founded this family estate, he couldn't afford vineyards in iconic, south-facing Grand Crus like Bouzy or Ambonnay, so he set up shop in this sleepy mountaintop village (which even today barely has cell coverage). He purchased a small collection of vineyards with the historically less desirable north-facing exposure, and set about digging out a new cellar deep into the chalky heart of the mountain.

Today, the estate is run by Georges’ grandsons Pierre and François, who organically farm 10 hectares of vineyards and offer a range of gorgeous, nervy, ultra-fresh wines that strike a compelling balance between concentration, lift, and pure refreshment.

Georges could not have known the eventual good fortune of having north-facing vineyards. Historically, French vineyards were given Grand Cru status because of their ability to produce ripe, full-bodied, age-worthy wines. This was especially crucial in cool-climate Champagne, where even Grand Crus struggled to attain ripeness.

But global warming has changed the situation: vineyards that were once on the margins of ripeness are now in the sweet-spot. The Huré brothers have taken full advantage of the climate shift, and are producing the best wines in the history of the estate, and truly some of the most compelling in Champagne. Yet they are still flying completely under-the-radar.

This renaissance of deliciousness is the result of fanatical attention to detail in the vines and in the cellar. Their vines of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier sit on pure chalk from the Cretaceous and Triassic period, infusing the wines with plenty of invigorating mineral grip. Vinifcation takes place mostly in stainless steel, with aging both in tank and used barrels. The brothers also keep reserve wines in both tank and barrel for a wide palette of flavors to play with. They even make a special “solera” bottling known as "Memoire" from a perpetual cuvée that was started back in 1982.

In the glass, the wines are lively and aromatic with intricate layers of delicately ripe fruit, plenty of lively acidity and lovely, ultra-long delineation. There is a real sense of dimension and breadth to the texture with clear chalk character weaving through every sip.