NV Champagne Larmandier Bernier Latitude Blanc de Blancs (Base 20. Disg. Feb 2023)

Disgorged November 2022. Latitude is 100% Côte des Blancs Chardonnay from vineyards on the southern side of Vertus. These vineyards are on roughly the same latitude, hence the name, which also hints at the breadth of texture that the wines from these sites (having more clay in the soil) tend to offer.

In the cellar, Larmandier uses mostly large-format casks (almost all the wood now comes from Stockinger in Austria). Fermentation and malolactic conversion take place naturally and there is no filtration. Bottles are matured over a period of more than two years and are disgorged manually and dosed at low, extra-brut levels (in this case, four grams per litre) at least six months before release.

Pure and mineral, this offers texture and stone-fruited depth without sacrificing the cut-diamond precision and citrusy, chalky energy that is a given at this address. Extremely versatile at the table, both of the entry cuvées can work with a wide range of dishes from fish, terrines, any chicken dish (particularly lemon chicken) and most cheeses (except blue or really strong washed-rind).