Larmandier-Bernier Vieille Vigne Du Levant Grand Cru 2015
£135.61 (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / Spain
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The most flamboyant, muscular wine in the cellar this year is the 2015 Blanc de Blancs Vieille Vigne du Levant. Produced from two old-vine plots (one planted in 1962 and the other in the late 1930s) of east-facing vines within the Bourron du Levant lieu-dit in Cramant and matured in a combination of Stockinger vat (50%) and 228-liter and 500-liter barrels, it’s full of pastry-forward notes mingling with ripe citrus, walnut and pear. Full-bodied and enveloping, it’s the most powerful rendition since 2012. Layered and with old-vine concentration and succulent yet vibrant acidity, this is a wine of controlled richness, concluding with an expansive, mineral-laced finish informed by its chalk subsoil (under a thin layer of clay). Originally known as Vieille Vigne de Cramant, this was the first single-vineyard Champagne created by Pierre Larmandier in 1988, and it has maintained a strong record since.
Features
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Appellation
Alcohol
12.5%
Grapes
Serving
Between 10ºC and 12ºC
Winemaking
Fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in oak barrels and Austrian foudres. Aged for 5 years in bottle before disgorgement.
Description
In the heart of the Côte des Blancs, the Larmandier family has been growing vines in Cramant for eight generations. But it was in 1988 that they took an unusual decision in Champagne: to make a cuvée from a single plot and a single vintage, exclusively from very old vines. Thus was born Larmandier-Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru, formerly known as "Vieille Vigne de Cramant", a radically pure expression of the Chardonnay of this historic Grand Cru.
The "Bourron du Levant" plot faces east, allowing the grapes to receive the first rays of the sun. The vines, between 60 and over 85 years old, sink their roots deep into pure limestone soils, providing structure, concentration and precise minerality. As in the entire winery, the vineyard is cultivated biodynamically, without pesticides or herbicides, in order to preserve the life of the soil and the authenticity of the fruit.
Winemaking
The vinification of Larmandier-Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru follows the principle of minimum intervention: gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and ageing in Stockinger barrels and casks without filtration or fining. No blending is carried out: this is a single-vineyard vintage Champagne. After tirage in July, the bottles are aged for 9 years on the lees in the cellar. Disgorgement is carried out by hand and the dosage is minimal: just 2 g/l, highlighting the dry, straight and complex character of the wine.
Taste
On the nose, Larmandier Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru displays a ripe, deep profile: citrus peel, baked apple, chalk, dried flowers and a subtle note of brioche. The palate is taut and creamy, with very fine, perfectly integrated bubbles. The acidity vibrates with energy, supporting a rich but precise texture. The finish is long, saline and persistent, with echoes of raw almond and lemon zest. This is a serious Champagne, for those who seek purity, depth and truth in terroir. A monument to Cramant's Chardonnay.
Shipping to Peninsular Spain
FREE shipping on orders over £177.10 or for 18 bottles or more in 6-bottle multiples (24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 and 60 bottles)Estimated transit time: 2-3 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over £177.10 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | £6.11 | £0.00 (-£6.11) |
| 7-12 | £6.11 | £0.00 (-£6.11) |
| 13-17 | £11.42 | £0.00 (-£11.42) |
| 18 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 19-23 | £14.08 | £0.00 (-£14.08) |
| 24 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 25-29 | £17.53 | £0.00 (-£17.53) |
| 30 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 31-35 | £20.28 | £0.00 (-£20.28) |
| 36 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 37-41 | £23.82 | £0.00 (-£23.82) |
| 42 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 43-47 | £25.59 | £0.00 (-£25.59) |
| 48 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 49-53 | £30.02 | £0.00 (-£30.02) |
| 54 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| 55-59 | £31.79 | £0.00 (-£31.79) |
| 60 | Free | £0.00 (Free) |
| VAT included | ||
Appellation Map
Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Brut Nature 2017
£87.53
£83.15/ud (-5%)
Others: 2015 Magnum
Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Brut Nature 2015 Magnum
£184.71
Others: 2017 75 cl.
