Les Bauves, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2014

Wine description for Les Bauves Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2014 by Waris-Larmandier

Colour & appearance

Pale yellow, threaded with a fine, creamy mousse – the visible sign of the reduced bottle pressure employed by Jean-Philippe Waris-Larmandier: 4.5 bar instead of the usual six.

Nose

A ripe, multi-layered bouquet reminiscent of great Loire Chenin – only with bubbles. Ripe fruit meets hawthorn, butter and praline, alongside honey, nougat and lightly toasted almonds. Beneath lie chalk and citrus zest, lending tension to the whole.

Palate

Ripe yet piquant: A vibrant acidity runs through the fleshy, very ripe fruit; the mousse surges creamily yet remains silky. Juicy, fruity, permeated by fine minerality – a Champagne of substance that audibly reveals its ten years of maturation.

Finish

Long and chalky, with an aftertaste of toasted nuts and citrus – more depth than breadth, entirely in keeping with the style of the old vines from this vineyard site.

Terroir & origin

The single vineyard Les Bauves is located in Cramant, one of the five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, at an altitude of 115 metres, roughly two kilometres from the estate in Avize. The Chardonnay vines were planted in 1962, 1986 and 1998 – the oldest are over 60 years old. Chalk soils, old vines: the foundation of this Blanc de Blancs.

Grape variety & vinification

Pure Chardonnay, hand-harvested and pressed in a traditional Coquard press (4,000 kg). Only the juice from the first pressing was used, spontaneously fermented and aged in stainless steel. At least five years sur lattes before disgorgement.

Food recommendations

The ripeness and nutty richness call for dishes with depth: Arctic char with dashi beurre blanc and kaffir lime, hazelnut blinis with artichokes and black truffle, or sweetbreads with smoked eel jus.

Special features

Waris-Larmandier is Demeter-certified (since 2020) and works with reduced bottle pressure – resulting in this fine, immediately accessible effervescence. The Waris-Larmandier family is deeply rooted in the Côte des Blancs: Marie-Hélène hails from the Larmandier dynasty; her brother runs Guy Larmandier, and her cousins run Larmandier-Bernier. This 2014 is a unique expression – different every year, honest every year.