Champagne Larmandier-Bernier 1er Cru Longitude Blanc de Blancs NV Base 21

Champagne Larmandier-Bernier 1er Cru Longitude Blanc de Blancs is a Côte des Blancs Chardonnay drawn from sites where thin topsoils sit almost directly on chalk.

The fruit comes from premier and grand cru villages of the Côte des Blancs: Cramant, Avize, Oger and Vertus, where Larmandier-Bernier is based. Where the estate's Latitude cuvée is broader across the palate, Longitude is the vertical of the pair, taking its name from both the geography of the vineyards and the line the chalk gives the wine. The topsoils here are shallow, so the roots run straight into the bedrock. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts and the dosage is minimal. This release is based on the 2021 harvest, with 40% reserve wine drawn from a perpetual reserve begun in 2004, which is a high proportion for a non-vintage bottling and accounts for much of the wine's depth.

Drinking well now and worth keeping for five years or more; serve with oysters, sashimi or a simple roast fish, at about 8°C.