2009 Larmandier-Bernier Les Chemins d'Avize Grand Cru

Sourced from two contiguous sites, the Larmandier-Bernier 2009 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Chemins d’Avize leads with a gorgeous aromatic amalgam of heliotrope and iris perfume mingled with nutmeg and sea breeze. Broad and texturally silken yet buoyant, the seemingly softly chalky mid-palate leads to a rather austerely mineral finish that, for now at least, doesn’t redeem the promise of the nose, let alone harbor the sort of allure and savor found in the bottlings I tasted alongside. I have to suspect that the relative weakness here – and it is still a lovely wine – is a function of vintage. Pierre and Sophie Larmandier farm 40 hectares morsellated into an even larger number of parcels in Vertus and villages on either side, as well as in the grand cru quartet of Avize, Oger, Chouilly and Cramant. Among their notable innovations is the use of helicopter to deliver biodynamic sprays to such a large surface on the appointed “root days.” The precision, refinement, and nuance achieved in their wines are exemplary. A very small share of foudre and barrel is employed for the non-vintage “Latitude” and “Longitude” bottlings simply so as to have a means of “seasoning” that wood before it gets transferred to the vintage program, where tanks are in the minority. The Larmandiers believe in minimal settling of juice after pressing, and all of their wines get close to, if not longer than, one year of elevage before going to bottle for the secondary fermentation, though after that, the time until disgorgement and (six months later) release varies widely according to cuvee. Normally, each non-vintage wine includes reserve contingents from the two previous vintages. Importer: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisko, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404