CHAMPAGNE GUY LARMANDIER VERTUS 1ER CRU BRUT

Three years on lees before disgorgement is the defining choice here — longer than most non-vintage Champagnes, it builds the brioche and toasted almond depth that distinguishes Larmandier's Vertus Blanc de Blancs. The wine draws from Premier Cru chalk in Vertus on the southern Côte des Blancs, where the same belemnite limestone that runs through the great Grands Crus pushes Chardonnay toward chalky tension and citrus precision. Expect green apple, lemon curd, and white flowers, with a creamy mid-palate and a mineral, saline finish.