History and Terroir

Larmandier-Bernier has been considered a source for some of the purest, mineral-driven and terroir-transparent blanc de blancs champagnes in the Côte des Blancs. Pierre Larmandier took the helm at the family estate over 30 years ago with his wife, Sophie, and more recently has been joined by his son, Arthur.

Farming and Winemaking

“Soil in Côte des Blancs is extremely chalky. And terroir reflects its personality in our wines,” say the Larmandiers. The entire estate, which includes vines in Vertus, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Chouilly, has been farmed biodynamically for the past 20 years, and there’s a minimum of intervention in the winemaking process. “Today everyone speaks about terroir, but terroir is not only soil, it is also the location of the vineyard,” adds Pierre Larmandier. Working in best premier cru and grand cru sites, the Larmandiers always harvest healthy grapes at full ripeness and at balanced yields, and, as a result, their low-dosage champagnes have incredible depth and a notable, soil-specific chalky backbone. Collections of Larmandier-Bernier will feature all of the estate’s champagnes, some of which, like the salty, soil-driven Terre de Vertus and the age-worthy Vieille Vigne du Levant, will be available in magnums, allowing for even more complexity and longevity.