Le Lude is delighted to announce that British Master of Wine Tim Atkin has named Le Lude’s Madamé Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2017 as “Overall Sparkling Wine of the Year” in his South Africa Special Report 2026.

Sparkling wine of the year: The Madamé range was born from a celebration of Chardonnay, a grape variety renowned for its natural elegance, versatility and ability to express both purity of fruit and a profound sense of place. Hailed as one of the world’s noble grape varieties, Chardonnay has a remarkable capacity to evolve with age while retaining its freshness, making it particularly well suited to the creation of fine Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wines.

The Madamé Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2017 is the third vintage to be released and is crafted from 100% Chardonnay. The wine has spent an exceptional eight years ageing on the lees, allowing time for greater texture, complexity and depth to develop while preserving the vibrant freshness that is a hallmark of Chardonnay.

Remarkably fresh and expressive despite its extended maturation, the 2017 vintage opens with an enticing purity of green Granny Smith apple, delicate white flowers and fresh lime. These vibrant fruit and floral notes are beautifully framed by a linear, precise minerality and bright, refreshing acidity, creating a wine that is both graceful and energetic.

On the palate, the wine is refined and beautifully poised, with a delicate perlage of fine bubbles that gently melt across the palate. The extended lees ageing introduces a subtle tertiary character, adding layers of complexity and texture without overshadowing the wine’s inherent freshness and purity. The result is an elegant and finely detailed Blanc de Blancs that showcases Chardonnay in its most refined form, precise, mineral-driven and effortlessly sophisticated.

The Madamé Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2017 received an outstanding 97 points from Tim Atkin MW in his South Africa Special Report 2026, where it was also named Overall Sparkling Wine of the Year, a remarkable recognition of the wine’s quality, individuality and ageing potential.