Champagne Larmandier Bernier, Extra Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc, VV du Levant, Champagne, France, 2013

Producer Profile

Averaging 33 years of age, Larmandier-Bernier’s 15 hectares of vineyards lie on the spectacular terroirs of the Côte des Blancs:

Vertus, a 1er cru village, as well as the Grand Crus Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Avize. According to Pierre and Sophie Larmandier, “the creation of a great Champagne, like the creation of any great wine, begins in the vineyard.” This philosophy is why they manage their vineyards biodynamically, harvesting their grapes manually at optimal ripeness to produce extraordinary expressions of each terroir. Fermentation using natural yeasts in a mixture of stainless steel vats, wooden casks and barrels, together with long, slow ageing at either Brut Nature (0 g/l) or Extra Brut (2-5 g/l) allows for the clearest of expressions.

Viticulture

Told vines in Cramant face south-east and are blessed with an exceptional terroir. They are aged between 60 and over 80 years old. Their deep root system and the diversity of the old stocks contribute to the complexity of the wine. This is the first single-vineyard champagne Pierre created in 1988.

Winemaking

The natural alcoholic fermentation (indigenous yeasts) and the malolactic fermentation begin spontaneously in the Stockinger wooden vats and casks. The wines are matured on the lees during their first year, with no filtering or fining being carried out. The bottling takes place end of July. There’s no blending with other years – this is a vintage Champagne – and no blending with other terroirs – this is a single-parcel Champagne. The bottles are taken down into the coolness of the cellars and stacked on lattes, the second fermentation takes place, and the maturation continues slowly for 8 or 9 more years. Each bottle is disgorged by hand 12 months before being marketed. The dosage is very discreet so as to appreciate better this well-balanced and extremely long cuvée (2 g/l).

Tasting Note

With its low dosage, this Extra Brut is pure style of blanc de blancs. Soft floral characters on the nose, with notes honeysuckle and hawthorn. A fine mousse on the palate with delicate, persistent bubbles. Layered and complex with notes of citrus fruits, fresh pastry and roasted almonds that linger on the finish.

Food Matching

The wine's acidity can cut through the richness of some Thai curries, particularly those with coconut milk.