Larmandier-Bernier : Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Non Dosé Blanc de Blancs 2018

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Non Dosé Blanc de Blancs 2018 by Larmandier-Bernier

Tasting

Appearance
The wine displays a brilliant golden-yellow hue, enhanced by an exceptionally fine effervescence and a persistent bead.

Nose
Rich and complex, the aromatic bouquet opens with notes of ripe yellow fruit such as peach and mirabelle plum, intertwined with candied citrus. It then evolves towards delicate hints of dried flowers, chamomile and pastry, along with a minerality reminiscent of damp chalk.

Palate
The attack is fresh and vibrant, giving way to an ample, dense and subtly creamy texture. The palate reveals fruity, zesty flavours, carried by a chalky tension that stretches into a savoury, briny finish of remarkable length.

Food and wine pairings

Ideal as an opener to a meal, this cuvée pairs beautifully with oysters, seafood or raw fish such as sea bass tartare. It also elegantly complements refined truffle-based dishes, poultry in cream sauce or lightly aged hard cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

For optimal enjoyment, serve this Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Non Dosé Blanc de Blancs 2018 at a temperature between 10°C and 12°C, ideally in wide flutes or Burgundy-style glasses. Already approachable, this wine can be cellared until around 2035.

Other characteristics

This champagne is a Brut Nature, meaning that no dosage liqueur was added at disgorgement. It therefore retains only around 1 g/l of natural residual sugar from fermentation.

The pure, sun-kissed expression of a great champagne from Vertus

The estate

Officially founded in 1971 by Philippe Larmandier and Elisabeth Bernier, the house of Larmandier-Bernier is located in Vertus, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs in Champagne. This family estate of around 16 hectares is now run by Pierre and Sophie Larmandier, supported by their sons Arthur and Georges. A pioneer in its environmental approach, the estate banned herbicides as early as 1992 before converting entirely to biodynamics in 1999. As grower-producers, the family vinifies only grapes from its own vineyards, crafting cuvées renowned for their great transparency and faithful expression of terroir.

The vineyard

This wine comes exclusively from the Premier Cru village of Vertus, in the Côte des Blancs in Champagne. The grapes are sourced from two specific lieux-dits located mid-slope: Les Barillers and Les Faucherets. Around 35 years old, the vines thrive on outcropping Campanian chalk soils. The vineyard is farmed biodynamically, with regular ploughing that encourages deep rooting and preserves biodiversity.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage stood out for its warm, sunny weather conditions. This generous climate made it possible to harvest perfectly healthy grapes at optimal ripeness, yielding juices that are both ample and powerful while retaining a fine natural balance.

Vinification and ageing

After hand harvesting and gentle pressing, the juices of the Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Non Dosé Blanc de Blancs 2018 ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in wooden barrels and large oak casks. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally. This Blanc de Blancs is then aged on fine lees for nearly a year, with regular lees stirring, before being bottled without fining or filtration. This is followed by a long period of ageing sur lattes in the chalk cellars for four to six years, before manual disgorgement without any dosage.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay