Daniel and Adele Le Brun are the pioneers of Marlborough Methode Traditionnelle wines, Daniel bringing his experience and expertise from being raised in the Champagne region where his family has made wine for generations, and Adele bringing a sense of sheer class to the style and, presentation and marketing of the wines Daniel makes. They are a true ‘tour de force’ of the region, and have led from the front to ensure the region’s wines are recognised around the world.
After selling their initial business, Daniel and Adele set up No. 1 Family Estate in 1999 as their own venture again, and instantly hit success with their ‘Cuvee No. 1’ sparklings (click here for my reviews of the latest excellent releases). However, the Le Bruns specialise in unique cuvees that are individually expressive, these bottlings named after the family members, these wines receiving the appropriate time on lees in bottle for greater autolytic complexity. The ‘Cuvee Virginie’ is a Chardonnay-dominant wine and the ‘Cuvee Remy’ a Pinot Noir-dominant wine, initially created to celebrate their daughter and son’s 21st birthdays. The ‘Cuvee 70 Calibre’ a non-dosage Pinot Noir-dominant method created and blended by assistant winemaker Lee Dobson to celebrate Daniels’s 35 years in Marlborough.
The ‘jewel in the crown’ of these special bottlings is arguably the ‘Cuvee Adele’ first released with the 2009 vintage in 2012 to celebrate Adele’s 60th birthday. It is a Chardonnay-dominant wine with over 3 years on lees, and the 2009 tasted then was a wine of glamour and elegance, as is Adele the person. Here, I review the new 2013 vintage of ‘Cuvee Adele’. The bottle is encrusted with Swarovski crystals, which makes it one of the most beautifully presented sparkling wines in New Zealand. The packaging is incredible; when one opens the black box in which the bottle is housed, lighting from above and inside the box turns on to illuminate the crystals. The effect is simply stunning. www.no1familyestate.co.nz
