Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus 2013 MAGNUM

No blending for this single-cru Champagne: Chardonnays only, coming from the vineyard plots of Les Barillers and Les Faucherets situated mid-slope in Vertus, facing south-east. One terroir only and one vintage only.

Vinification and maturation
The natural alcoholic fermentation (natural yeast) and the malolactic fermentation begin spontaneously in our casks, our wooden vats and our stainless-steel tanks. The wines are left on their natural lees for nearly a year and undergo gentle bâtonnages, but no filtering or fining. If the year merits it, this cuvée will be bottled in July without any blend with other years - it is a vintage - or other terroirs - it is a single vineyard.

Then the bottles are then taken down into the coolness of our cellars, where the second fermentation and the maturation 'on laths' quietly take place over a period of at least 4 years.

Each bottle is disgorged manually 6 months before being marketed. This wine is non dosé (no sugar added), in order to respect its purity from beginning to end.

Tasting notes
91 points
Fresh and floral, this is well-cut and minerally, with finely meshed flavors of apple tarte Tatin, grated ginger, honeycomb and slivered almond. Rich, yet vibrant throughout. Drink now through 2022. — Alison Napjus

WineSpectator.com, December 7, 2017