From: Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France
Blend: Chardonnay
Taste: These champagne’s go against the typical thought process of the grand marque, and instead of manipulating their wine to taste the same year after year, they reflect the nature of their terroir as well as the base vintage year; a philosophy of transparency, you might say. This iteration of ‘Longitude’ is bracingly pure, with zesty grapefruit, pithy lemon, and an impressive undercurrent of ever-unfolding poached lemon confit over toasted brioche that keeps on going and going, leading into a chalky, lifted finish.
Pairing: While fresh seafood platters and oysters are viewed as the quintessential pairing for Blanc de Blancs, the wine's versatility goes beyond the traditional. Think of delicately prepared lobster dishes, where the sweetness of the crustacean's meat melds flawlessly with the Champagne's vibrant, mineral-led notes.
But don't limit yourself to seafood. An unexpected yet delightful pairing is with fried foods. The crisp, effervescent qualities of Blanc de Blancs make it an ideal counterbalance for rich, savory dishes like fried chicken. This intriguing pairing showcases the Champagne's adaptability, bringing out the dish's crispy textures and enhancing the dining experience in surprising ways.
You’re going to want time to enjoy this to the fullest, so we’re sharing an easy-yet-delicious recipe for Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew by Sue Li. It’ll yield 4 servings, and only take about 30 minutes. Even better, it’s a versatile recipe, and you’ll be able to reuse it with different proteins to your heart's desire.
About. Champagne Larmandier-Bernier is one of the true stars of the Côte des Blancs. Both the Larmandier and Bernier families have had an extensive history in the region, dating back to the French revolution, but it was not until the marriage of Philippe Larmandier and Elisabeth Bernier in 1971 that Champagne Larmandier-Bernier was established. The small house today is directed by Pierre and Sophie Larmandier, along with their son Arthur, and own just under eighteen hectares in some of the finest villages on the Côte des Blancs: Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Avize (all Grand Crus), as well as in the fine premier cru village of Vertus where they hang their hats.
Pierre took over the direction of the family estate in 1988, and by 1992 he began to move the family’s vineyards over to organic viticulture and then to full-blown biodynamic farming by 1999. The Larmandiers are very much committed to the ideal of producing world class wines that speak of the inimitable terroirs of the Côte des Blancs, rather than using parlor tricks in the cellar. They thus work extremely hard to grow the finest fruit possible in each vintage. Pierre does not fear ripeness, but rather, seeks maturity of sugars and acidity in search of balance - the holy grail in grape growing. Larmandier-Bernier holdings are comprised of ninety percent Chardonnay, nine percent Pinot Noir, and one percent Pinot Gris. As their vines near 50 years of age, the Larmandiers practice a much more conservative approach to yields than is currently customary in the Champagne region.
In the cellar, Pierre Larmandier is every bit the purist and uses only indigenous yeasts for alcoholic fermentations, producing the most natural and terroir-specific wine possible. Each cru is vinified separately, using a combination of foudres and/or smaller Burgundian barrels, depending on each parcel and the qualities of the vintage. The wines also undergo malolactic fermentation. Occasionally battonage is practiced as well, but Pierre Larmandier is quick to reiterate that it is really the vintage that will decide how certain crus will be raised in the cellar.
Blending is generally done in the summer following harvest, and it is at this time that the Larmandiers decide whether or not their three single-vineyard bottlings (Terre de Vertus, Les Chemins d'Avize, Vieille Vigne de Levant) will be produced. The final blends are made and the wines are bottled in July before they undergo secondary fermentation in the deep, cold Vertus cellars. The wines are aged for several years prior to hand-riddling and disgorgement, and are then held a minimum of six months before being released into the market.
An important belief of Pierre Larmandier's is that the underlying terroir is expressed best with very minimal levels of dosage, or—in the case of Terre de Vertus—no dosage at all. He is adamant that this is not a decision that is made in the cellar, but rather, earned in the vineyard. Consequently, Larmandier-Bernier wines never receive more than four grams per liter of sugar. This puts Larmandier-Bernier's Brut Champagnes in the category of Extra Brut. The full lineup stands out for its textural purity and underlying energy derived from the chalky mineral soils. They emerge from the cellar with picture-perfect balance, drinking well right out of the gate, while possessing all of the inherent precision to age gracefully for decades.
