2012 Larmandier-Bernier BB Vieilles Vignes du Levant
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The 2012 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant was tightly wound when I tasted it last year, but today it is really beginning to show all its cards. Delivering a complex bouquet of orange oil and pear mingled with notions of freshly baked bread, white flowers, marzipan and beeswax, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, racy acids and chalky structure. Powerful and precise, it concludes with a long, mineral finish.
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James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
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A very rich, powerful and creamy Blanc de Blancs champagne with a slew of candied-orange and caramelized-grapefruit aromas, plus notes of sushi ginger and saffron. Gains in freshness after a bit of aeration in the glass, adding to its considerable appeal. Bone-dry but expansive finish thatâs super-harmonious for this category. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
The 2012 Extra Brut Vieille Vigne de Levant is another standout in this range from Pierre and Sophie Larmandier. It possesses tremendous intensity and tons of pure power. Lemon confit, apricot, spice, marzipan and dried herbs saturate the palate in a Champagne endowed with serious concentration. The 2012 is dense, rich and full of personality. These 50-70 year-old vines confer notable complexity. The 2012 was vinified in neutral oak and bottled with a dosage of two grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2021.
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12.5%
Blanc de Blancs