Larmandier-Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru 2013
A beloved grower estate in the Côte des Blancs, considered by many to be among the subregion’s greatest
Grape Makeup:
100% Chardonnay
Sweetness Level:
Extra Brut
Ageing on Lees:
7-8 years
Price:
$$$ (V)
Cellar:
5-10 years
Category:
Culinary
Photos
What
A beloved grower estate in the Côte des Blancs, 8 generations old and considered by many to be among the subregion’s greatest, farmed biodynamically for over 20 years.
Where
Vertus, Côte des Blancs; 18 hectares, predominantly (over 90%) chardonnay in Grand Crus Avize, Chouilly, Cramant and Oger along with Vertus (Premier Cru).
Why
Vieille Vigne du Levant is one of the original single-site champagnes; the Grand Cru vineyard it comes from is the oldest in Cramant, 50-80 years old. The fermentation in oak – a mix of small Burgundy barriques and larger formats – gives unparalleled heft and tactility to this wine that is gorgeously offset by 2013’s luminous acidity.
What Else
The rosé de saignée comes from the oldest pinot noir vines in Vertus and the macerated style ensures that all the concentration and depth of these grapes comes through in the final wine.
Tasting Notes
The Vieille Vigne is characteristically rich and dark in tone, with baked pear fruit and puff pastry, brown butter and tropical florals like hibiscus and frangipani. The fruit too becomes more tropical on the palate, with pineapple and even green mango on top of a savoury, miso yeastiness. The acidity is bracingly fresh and helps balance the breadth of the middle. There is a fine toasty yeast quality to finish once the oiliness has cleared away. Tense and complex as well as richly gourmand.
Try It With
Rich flavoured seafood dishes, like buttery lobster.
When To Drink
Main course or after dinner.
Perfect For
The friend who never eats salad.
TL/DR
Ripe, deep-toned and luxuriant.
Supplier
Altaya Wines
