Marie-Nöelle Ledru is descended from four generations of vignerons working the land on the southern Montagne de Reims. The family showed rare courage in going it alone as an independent producer of Champagnes from its own vines in 1946, at a time when Champagne was entirely dominated by the grandes marques.

Marie-Nöelle took the reins in 1984 and, for thirty-two vintages, fashioned Champagnes that perfectly express Ambonnay’s great finesse, aromatic complexity and supple texture. If Egly-Ouriet is the King of Ambonnay, then Ledru was surely its Queen.

And she did it her way, following in the steps of her ancestors, performing all of the tasks herself without compromise. Her vines, 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnnay, averaging 40-years-of-age, and located on Ambonnay’s best terroir—the steep, very chalky southeast-facing slopes above the village—were tended as naturally as possible, without herbicides or pesticides, and Marie-Nöelle worked them and the soil by hand.

— Importer Note (Rare Wine Co)