Guy Larmandier Rose Brut Vertus 1er Cru NV
(Champagne, France)

About the Winery:

The cellars of Champagne Guy Larmandier are located in the village of Vertus at the southern base of the Côte des Blancs, while the Domaine holds 9 hectares of vineyards in the grand-cru-rated villages of Chouilly and Cramant and the 1er-cru Vertus and Cuis.

Guy Larmandier established this domaine which, following his death, is now supervised by his wife, Colette, and their two children, Francois and Marie-Helene. Annual production is on the order of 90,000 bottles. Harvest is conducted manually, the Champagnes are aged a minimum of 36 months on the lees and the Champagnes destined for the US market are disgorged on order and receive a minimal dosage so as to emphasize the purity and finesse of this special terroir.

About the Wine:
Larmandier’s Vertus Rosé has always been exemplary, a happy marriage of Cote des Blancs elegance and ripe, succulent red fruit. While interesting, we found the experimental zero-dosage version of the rose sacrificed too much of that nicely caressing texture, and thus this cuvee will remain as it has always been—with around six grams per liter dosage. In keeping with the traditional method by which most rosé Champagne is made, Larmandier Rosé blends a splash of red wine into a base of white wine—in this case, Pinot Noir vinified as a red constitutes 15% of the final blend.

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The NV Brut Rose Premier Cru offers an enticing floral life to its notes of mint, roses, pomegranate and sweet spices. This powerful, mineral-driven wine possesses tons of depth and personality in a vinous style that will blossom to the fullest at the dinner table. The Champagne continues to grow in the glass, suggesting it is still holding much of its potential in reserve. This is another compelling wine from Guy Larmandier. The estate’s Rose is based on the Brut Premier Cru blend, plus about 12% still Pinot from Vertus. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010."