Larmandier-Bernier
Larmandier-Bernier Les Chemins d’Avize
2009
A vintage Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from two old-vine parcels in Avize, combining Chardonnay purity, chalk-driven minerality, density and refined elegance.
Country
France
Region
Champagne
Scoring
More information
Producer
Larmandier-Bernier
Larmandier-Bernier is a family-owned Champagne grower based in Vertus, at the southern end of the Côte des Blancs. Its vineyards extend across Premier and Grand Cru terroirs including Vertus, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Chouilly, with Chardonnay forming more than 90% of the estate's plantings.
The domaine's identity is built around allowing individual terroirs to determine the character of its wines. Biodynamic viticulture, mature fruit, indigenous yeasts, maturation in wood and minimal intervention in the cellar form a coherent philosophy centred on purity, minerality and the expression of Champagne's chalk soils.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
- Location: Vertus, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
- Family winegrowing roots: 1765
- Estate: 19 hectares
- Principal grape: Chardonnay — more than 90% of the vineyard
- Viticulture: Biodynamic since 1999; organic certification since 2003
History and Identity
The histories of the Larmandier and Bernier families as winegrowers extend back to 1765, and the Larmandiers have cultivated vineyards in the Premier and Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs since the nineteenth century.
The modern estate took shape in 1971, when Philippe Larmandier and his wife Elisabeth Bernier, herself the owner of vineyards in Vertus, created Champagne Larmandier-Bernier and built their cellar in Vertus.
Their son Pierre Larmandier returned to the family estate in 1988 together with his wife Sophie. Pierre progressively changed the viticultural direction of the domaine, abandoning herbicides completely in 1992 before converting the entire estate to biodynamic farming in 1999. Indigenous yeasts were introduced for fermentation at the same time, while maturation increasingly moved from stainless steel towards barrels and larger wooden vats.
The next generation is now involved. Arthur Larmandier joined in 2017, followed by his brother Georges in 2021, continuing the family's involvement into another generation.
Estate, Vineyards and Terroir
Larmandier-Bernier farms approximately 19 hectares in the Côte des Blancs.
The estate identifies holdings in:
Vertus – Premier Cru
Cramant – Grand Cru
Avize – Grand Cru
Oger – Grand Cru
Chouilly – Grand Cru
Importantly, Larmandier-Bernier states that it does not purchase grapes. The wines are produced from fruit originating from its own vineyard holdings, with the estate expanding through the acquisition of vineyards rather than bought-in fruit.
The geological foundation of the domaine is the Campanian chalk of the Côte des Blancs. Larmandier-Bernier explicitly identifies this chalk as central to the mineral character of its Champagnes.
More than 90% of the vineyard is planted to Chardonnay, and the vines average approximately 35 years of age.
These percentages describe the estate plantings, not the blend of every Larmandier-Bernier Champagne.
Viticulture
Viticulture is one of the defining elements of Larmandier-Bernier.
Pierre Larmandier abandoned herbicides completely in 1992, and the entire estate has been farmed biodynamically since 1999. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2003.
The domaine works its soils to encourage deeper rooting and preserve soil life. It emphasises mature fruit, controlled yields, old vines and massal selections originating from earlier generations of the Larmandier and Bernier families. Harvesting is carried out manually once the desired maturity has been achieved.
The objective is not biodynamics as an end in itself, but to produce grapes capable of transmitting differences between individual vineyards and terroirs.
Production and Winemaking
The same low-intervention philosophy continues in the cellar.
Fruit is gently pressed and fermentation takes place spontaneously using indigenous yeasts, a practice used by the estate since 1999. Fermentation and maturation take place in wooden vessels, including casks and Stockinger foudres.
The wines undergo prolonged maturation on their lees — the estate describes approximately 11 months in casks and wooden vats — before bottling. They are bottled without filtration or fining.
Bottle ageing then continues for several years in the domaine's chalk cellars.
Dosage is generally restrained, but we should not hard-code one dosage level at producer level. Individual wines range across Brut Nature, Extra Brut and other specific expressions, and exact dosage belongs to the individual bottle or release.
Style and Identity
Larmandier-Bernier's stylistic identity is closely connected to Chardonnay and the chalk terroirs of the Côte des Blancs.
Rather than creating a dominant house style through cellar intervention, the domaine aims to preserve distinctions between sites. The producer itself repeatedly uses purity, minerality and terroir expression to describe the objective of its wines.
For Sipfind, I would define the producer's stylistic DNA as:
Chalk → Chardonnay → maturity → purity → minerality → precision → low intervention.
That is more useful than assigning one universal tasting profile to the entire range, particularly because Larmandier-Bernier produces everything from Chardonnay-led blends to single-terroir Blanc de Blancs and Rosé de Saignée.
Portfolio
Larmandier-Bernier's current portfolio demonstrates the domaine's increasingly terroir-specific approach.
Latitude provides a Chardonnay-based expression centred on the southern Côte des Blancs.
Longitude follows the north-south axis of the Côte des Blancs and is a Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs.
Terre de Vertus is a single-terroir Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs from Vertus.
Les Chemins d'Avize is produced from two old-vine parcels in Avize and represents a singular Grand Cru expression.
Vieille Vigne du Levant is another of the estate's important terroir-specific Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs.
The range also includes Rosé de Saignée, Cramant Nature and Vertus Rouge.
Each should exist as an independent bottle entity within Sipfind, with vintage, dosage, blend, disgorgement and maturation information attached at the appropriate product or release level.
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Country
Region
Champagne
Champagne is widely regarded as the world's most prestigious sparkling wine region and has become synonymous with celebration, luxury and uncompromising quality. Located in northeastern France, approximately 150 kilometres east of Paris, the region combines centuries of winemaking tradition with exceptional terroir to produce sparkling wines of remarkable elegance and complexity. From legendary maisons to small grower-producers, Champagne represents the benchmark against which all other sparkling wines are measured, and its influence on global wine culture remains unrivalled.
The region's vineyards stretch across five principal districts: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne and Côte des Bar. The defining characteristic of Champagne terroir is its chalk-limestone subsoil, which provides excellent drainage, mineral richness and steady water supply essential for producing grapes of exceptional quality. The cool continental climate, moderated by maritime influences, ensures slow ripening and high natural acidity, while the principal grape varieties—Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier—each contribute distinct character to the final blend. The region's 17 grand cru villages and 42 premier cru villages represent the finest expression of Champagne terroir, producing grapes of outstanding concentration and finesse.
Champagne is governed by strict AOC regulations established in 1927, which define geographical boundaries, permitted grape varieties, yields and production methods. The region is home to some of the world's most celebrated houses, including Krug, Louis Roederer, Bollinger, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Pol Roger, Salon, Taittinger and Moët & Chandon. These maisons have upheld the art of blending and cellar ageing for generations, producing prestige cuvées and vintage expressions that rank among the most collectible wines in the world. Alongside these historic houses, a growing number of grower-producers cultivate and vinify their own grapes, offering terroir-focused expressions that reveal the diversity and depth of Champagne's varied terroirs.
Whether exploring grand cru villages, prestige cuvées or historic maisons, Champagne offers an unparalleled journey through the birthplace of the world's finest sparkling wines. Discover Champagne Champagnes, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most important and prestigious white wine grapes, renowned for its remarkable versatility and ability to reflect both terroir and winemaking style. Most famously associated with Burgundy and Champagne in France, Chardonnay is cultivated across virtually every major wine-producing country and can produce everything from precise, mineral-driven whites to rich, complex wines with exceptional ageing potential.
In Burgundy, Chardonnay reaches some of its most celebrated expressions. The limestone-rich vineyards of Chablis are known for wines combining vibrant acidity, citrus character and mineral precision, while the Côte de Beaune, particularly appellations such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, produces some of the world’s most sought-after and age-worthy white wines.
Chardonnay also plays a fundamental role in Champagne, where it contributes freshness, finesse and acidity to blends alongside Pinot Noir and Meunier. When produced exclusively from Chardonnay, the resulting Champagne is known as Blanc de Blancs, a style prized for its elegance, precision and capacity to develop considerable complexity with extended ageing.
The grape’s character varies significantly according to climate, terroir and winemaking. Cooler regions can produce wines showing citrus, green apple, white flowers and mineral notes, while warmer conditions can bring peach, melon and tropical-fruit character. Oak fermentation, barrel ageing and malolactic fermentation can introduce additional layers of toast, vanilla, butter and hazelnut, demonstrating Chardonnay’s exceptional stylistic range.
Beyond France, Chardonnay has established important expressions in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and numerous other wine regions. From the mineral whites of Chablis and the great vineyards of Burgundy to Blanc de Blancs Champagne and modern New World interpretations, Chardonnay’s combination of versatility, complexity and terroir expression has established it as one of the defining grape varieties of fine wine.
History and Style
Larmandier-Bernier Les Chemins d’Avize
Les Chemins d’Avize is one of Larmandier-Bernier's Champagnes Singuliers – wines conceived to express an individual terroir rather than a broader house style.
Produced entirely from Chardonnay grown in Avize Grand Cru, it originates from two old-vine parcels in the heart of the village: Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny. Their poor soils and near-surface chalk give Les Chemins d’Avize its distinctive combination of mineral density, precision and elegance.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Larmandier-Bernier
- Wine: Les Chemins d’Avize
- Classification: Grand Cru
- Style: Vintage Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne
- Origin: Avize, Côte des Blancs
- Grape: 100% Chardonnay
History and Identity
Les Chemins d’Avize is a relatively recent addition to Larmandier-Bernier's collection of terroir-specific Champagnes.
Pierre and Sophie Larmandier had long considered Avize worthy of an individual cuvée. The decisive change came in 2009, when the acquisition of a smaller press allowed them to vinify the fruit from two particular parcels separately.
Those vineyards are:
Chemin de Plivot
Chemin de Flavigny
Both lie in the heart of Avize.
Les Chemins d’Avize joined a terroir-focused approach that Larmandier-Bernier had begun with Vieille Vigne de Cramant in 1988, followed by Terre de Vertus in 1995 and Rosé de Saignée in 1999.
This gives the wine a clear position within the portfolio: it is not simply Larmandier-Bernier's premium Chardonnay Champagne, but an attempt to isolate and express a specific part of Avize Grand Cru.
Vineyards and Terroir
The fruit comes exclusively from the two old-vine parcels Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny.
Larmandier-Bernier describes the soils here as particularly poor, with chalk close to or breaking through the surface. The producer currently describes the vines as approximately 65 years old.
This combination of old Chardonnay vines and shallow chalk is central to the identity of Les Chemins d’Avize.
The producer associates the sites with delicate floral character and particularly pronounced mineral density.
For SCI, we should encode the geography explicitly:
Champagne
→ Côte des Blancs
→ Avize Grand Cru
→ Chemin de Plivot + Chemin de Flavigny
→ Les Chemins d’Avize
That is much stronger semantically than storing only “Avize” as the origin.
Production and Maturation
The grapes are gently pressed and the juice is only lightly clarified before going directly into wood.
Both alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation occur spontaneously in barrels and Stockinger foudres. The wine then remains on its natural lees during its first year and is bottled without fining or filtration.
After the second fermentation, maturation continues in bottle in the estate's cellars for at least another nine years.
Each bottle is then disgorged by hand approximately one year before release.
The producer currently states a dosage of:
2 g/l – Extra Brut.
For Sipfind I would nevertheless retain the release architecture:
Vintage → disgorgement → dosage
as potentially release-specific technical data. If a historical release carries different specifications, its own technical data should override the master value.
Style and Tasting Profile
Larmandier-Bernier itself summarises Les Chemins d’Avize particularly succinctly:
dense and elegant.
That combination makes sense in the context of the wine.
Old-vine Chardonnay and extended maturation provide concentration and texture, while the chalk-rich Avize terroir contributes the mineral definition and freshness that form an important part of Larmandier-Bernier's identity.
Rather than copying tasting notes from one vintage into the master wine, I would define its structural DNA as:
Chalk → mineral density → purity → energy → texture → elegance.
Individual notes of citrus, flowers, nuts, fruit or autolytic development should remain attached to the relevant vintage or release.
A Singular Champagne from Avize
Les Chemins d’Avize belongs to a particularly important category within the Larmandier-Bernier portfolio: the producer's singular, terroir-specific Champagnes.
The concept is essentially the opposite of constructing Champagne around a broad multi-village blend. Here the geographic origin becomes progressively narrower:
one Grand Cru village → two named parcels → one grape variety.
The result is 100% Avize and 100% Chardonnay.
This makes Les Chemins d’Avize itself an important wine entity, while Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny should also exist as vineyard/parcels within SCI.
Ageing and Serving
The producer's own maturation regime already demonstrates that Les Chemins d’Avize is conceived for extended development: approximately one year of initial élevage is followed by at least nine additional years of bottle maturation, with disgorgement taking place around one year before release.
We should nevertheless avoid creating one universal drinking window for the wine. Vintage conditions and disgorgement date materially affect development, so drinking windows belong to the individual vintage/release page.
Larmandier-Bernier positions the wine as gastronomic and specifically suggests dishes of sufficient refinement and intensity, including delicately roasted lobster.
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