Champagne Leclère Torrens – Interview With Nathalie De Coninck

The love of Champagne is infinite, a language that everyone can understand, a sparkle that can shine in anyone’s glass, it can connect people, brings them together and places a smile on faces around the world.

In this exclusive feature on Glass of Bubbly, we speak with Nathalie De Coninck, the Winegrower at Champagne Leclère Torrens, let’s discover a little about her life, her journey into the industry and one of her favourite Champagne memories.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Nathalie, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & How Your Journey Into The Champagne Industry Began?

“I was born in it 😉 I grew up with the harvest, the stress of frosts in the spring, the holidays, the work in the vineyards, etc…..it’s full memories.”

What Part Of The Winemaking Process Do You Enjoy The Most?

“The harvest! this is the moment when the grapes reveal their full potential and it’s also at this time that we risk losing everything if we harvest it badly. You have to be very precise and make choices quickly. But when we harvest and taste the grapes, the association of plots begins.”

When It Comes To Pairing Champagne With Food, Do You Have Any Favourite Combinations That You Would Personally Recommend?

“I love Champagne with cheese. It’s a marriage that we don’t always think of because we often accompany it with red wine. But the association of cheese with rosé, for example, is excellent. We created a rosé based on Chardonnay with a red wine of Pinot Noir from the village to be cold vinified. You can smell red wine and Chardonnay brings the necessary depth in the tasting of a cheese.”

What Future Plans Can Enthusiasts Of Champagne Leclere Torrens Look Forward To In The Coming Years?

“We have a forest with century old trees and we contacted a cooper to make barrels with our own selected trees. It’s a very long project but it’s a magnificent project to enhance our cuvéees where the whole process will be done at home.”

Can You Share With Us One Of The Most Memorable Experiences You’ve Enjoyed With A Glass of Bubbly?

“We went to Italy to a wine fair and we enjoyed a vinified Champagne in acacia barrels. It was a revelation, we were in acacia flowers with the freshness of Chardonnay.”

Thank you Nathalie, for sharing your story and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Champagne Leclère Torrens . Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.