Source: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
CHAMPAGNE LARMANDIER-BERNER
Champagne, France
A natural approach to viticulture...because it makes sense.
"The winegrowers of this new generation look for this freshness, this frankness, this absense of facade in wine, and that's a sign that the example set by the purists among their elders has not fallen on deaf ears... These new winegrowers know how to bring to their daily life this element of utopia, of attachment to the ethics of the craftsman. Even if, when tasting, it means looking for something other rhan just strength for tired or fickle palates."
It is not for reasons of tradition that our approach to viticulture is completely natural; it is just because it makes sense. The creation of a great Champagne, like the creation of any great wine, begins in the vineyard. Indeed, it is the grapes that contain the qualities and the authenticity that no man could ever invent.
The recipe for good-quality grapes is simple but demanding: old vines, working the soil, moderate yields; vines which thrive without having fertilisers forced into them, and mature grapes picked by hand.
We have not chosen the easy path of current methods, but the far more rewarding course of cultivating the vine intelligently. Striving for wines which express their terroir in a natural way...
Our vineyard - about fifteen hectares, 33 years old on average – lies on the terroirs of the Côte des Blancs: Vertus, a premier cru village, Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Avize, all grand cru villages.
We are fortunate enough to work on superb terroirs; it would be a shame if we didn't "bring them to your glass".
But the terroir is not enough; it is to wine what the score is to music. What's the point if the grape variety, the vineplant (the instrument) and the winegrower (the performer) are not up to standard?
Consequently, our vines are cultivated with respect for the terroir (ploughing, which favours deep-reaching roots and preserves the life of the soil) and respect for the balances of the plant throughout the growing period. In this way, the yields are naturally moderate and the wine shows its appreciation, through both its structure and its maturity.
Our vineyard is planted with 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir. The grapes are harvested manually.