Les Regards d’Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2019

Wine description for Les Regards d’Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2019 by Waris-Larmandier

Character

A Blanc de Blancs of straight, taut structure: lemon and lime, accompanied by chalk and a fine saltiness reminiscent of oyster shells. The texture is remarkable – Waris-Larmandier bottles with just 4.5 bar instead of the usual six, which yields a creamier, finer mousse and makes the wine accessible from the very start. Dry, clear, without any make-up.

Terroir & Origin

Avize lies in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, that chalk ridge south of Épernay which produces the finest Chardonnay in Champagne. The estate’s nine hectares are spread exclusively across Grand Cru vineyard sites: Avize, Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Chalk soils that store water and lend the wines their taut minerality. The Waris family arrived here from Finland five generations ago – and today is deeply intertwined with the region’s Larmandier dynasty.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyard sites, vintage 2019, 12.5% ABV, dry. Jean-Philippe Waris, who trained under biodynamic pioneer Benoît Lahaye, converted the entire estate in 2011; since 2020 the house has been Demeter-certified. Fermentation takes place spontaneously in used Burgundy barrels, and sulphur is only added at bottling. The reduced bottle pressure is the estate’s true signature trick: less aggression, more finesse.

Food Pairings

The chalky structure and saline tension call for something from the sea on the plate: oysters are the most obvious choice, as are sole fillet carpaccio or monkfish in a light beurre blanc. To complement the creamy mousse, try a medium-aged Comté or a lemon risotto. It also cuts a convincing figure simply alongside sushi or steamed vegetables with sea salt – this Champagne does not need loud companions, but rather quiet, precise cuisine. A wine for the aperitif that will not shy away from the table afterwards.