A.R. Lenoble

An Atherton Wine Imports Direct Domaine

In 1915 Armand-Raphael Graser moved from Alsace to Champagne in order to protect his family during the War. By 1920 he had moved into an 18th century building, which is still the company headquarters, and started to make champagne under the A.R. Lenoble label. The A.R. came from his initials and Lenoble was a tribute to the nobility of Champagne. The domaine is now run by Armand-Raphael’s great-grandchildren Anne and Antoine Malassagne.

Maison Lenoble owns some prestigious vineyards which supply about 50% of the annual production of 350,000 bottles. The Chardonnay grapes come from Chouilly, a Grand Cru in the Cote des Blanc, and some of the plots of vines lie in the very best spots – “Les Montaigus,” “Les Cités,” and “Les Aventures.” The Pinot Noir vineyards are in Bisseuil, a Premier Cru in the Montagne de Reims. The Pinot Meunier comes from a South-facing hillside vineyard in Damery, in the heart of the Marne Valley.

During harvest, the grapes are always picked by hand and taken quickly to the winery in Damery where they are sorted by variety and quality. The best grapes are used in the vintage champagnes and luxury cuvees. They use the traditional vertical wooden press and only incorporate the first run juice into their wines. Each varietal is vinified separately, mostly in vat, but about 15% is fermented in new oak barrels. The dosage is always light, producing wines with great freshness and ageing potential.

Robert Parker on A.R. Lenoble

“The Domaine A. R. Lenoble proved to be an exciting discovery. As I have frequently written, one of the more positive developments in Champagne is the number of small domaines that are getting recognition for the high quality of their selections.…particularly those offering wine with a quality/price rapport such as Domaine A. R. Lenoble” (Wine Advocate, #107).

Featured Wines

• “Cuvee les Aventures” N.V. Blancs de Blanc
• “Cuvee Gentilhomme” Vintage Blancs de Blanc
• Vintage Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
• Brut Rose Terroirs
• N.V. Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru
• N.V. Brut Nature - zero dosage
• “Cuvee Riche” N.V. demi-sec
• N.V. Brut Intense