Larmandier-Bernier’s 2016 Vieille Vigne du Levant is a Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from Cramant in the Côte des Blancs, built around old-vine Chardonnay and a deliberately restrained Extra Brut style. The estate is known for long-running biodynamic practice, and this cuvée is sourced from the Bourron du Levant lieu-dit, an east-facing site aimed at preserving freshness while still achieving ripeness.

This is also a wine with an excellent critical reception. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate awarded it 95+ points, calling it a bottling that “has turned out beautifully, exceeding any expectations” after a challenging season. Reviewer William Kelley notes it came from “an early-October harvest” and was “disgorged in March 2025,” offering useful context for its current profile and youthful tension. He also reports that the wine comes from “two east-facing old-vine parcels—planted in 1962 and in the late 1930s”—with “roughly 80 centimeters of clay overlie the chalk,” a detail that helps explain the balance between breadth and firm, chalk-driven structure.

In the glass, the wine is described by Kelley as showing “aromas of orange oil, fresh apricot and nashi pear, mingled with freshly baked bread,” pointing to both ripe citrus/stone-fruit character and extended lees complexity. On the palate, he finds it “medium- to full-bodied and concentrated yet tightly wound,” emphasizing a style that prioritizes precision over immediate generosity. The finish is a key feature: “mouthwatering acidity,” “a pinpoint mousse,” and “a long, chalky finish,” all consistent with top Cramant Chardonnay.

Kelley adds that it is “markedly different from its richer, more demonstrative predecessor” and “will require additional patience to fully unfurl,” suggesting this 2016 is less about upfront richness and more about clarity, line, and age-worthy drive. Winemaking was carried out with maturation “in a combination of 20-hectoliter Stockinger vat and 228- and 500-liter barrels,” supporting texture without overt oakiness.