Description
Champagne Guy Larmandier, “Signé Francois” Grand Cru Brut Zéro
Never has the expression “Burgundy with bubbles” been more apt than when used to describe Guy Larmandier’s 2010 “Signé François” prestige cuvée. What an extraordinary bottle of wine this is—not only is it one of the clearest expressions of Grand Cru Chardonnay, it’s made by one of the first small “grower-producers” to take on the big Champagne Houses and win.
Guy Larmandier is both a small independent estate and one of the true stars of the region, one that ranks right alongside indie legends that now populate every sophisticated wine bar. Although there is some Pinot Noir in Larmandier’s vineyards, the estate’s calling card is Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, a hallowed region that is the variety’s spiritual home. Rare is the Blanc de Blancs Champagne that delivers this wine’s one-two punch of textural depth and chiseled chalkiness, even rarer is one that ages on lees for over 10 years. The arrival of a new vintage of “Signé François” has a certain inevitability to it: It’s not a question of whether we’re going to take some, but rather how much the importer will let us have. We can allow up to six bottles for all the hardcore Champagne aficionados out there!
The Larmandier family’s vineyards and modest cellar are situated in Vertus, at the southern end of Champagne’s Côte des Blancs sub-region. The family farms nine hectares of vines spread across the Grand Cru villages of Chouilly and Cramant, Premier Cru village Cuis, and the “home turf” Premier Cru vines in Vertus. This is a straightforward, modestly scaled estate in every regard. All fruit is harvested by hand and fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks before a long slumber in bottle—over 10 years for today’s 2010 “Signé François.”
The Larmandier wines have a long history in the US market, and only seem to get better year after year, so the competition is fierce. They only produce about 90,000 bottles of wine in a generous vintage (some of the big houses probably spill that much), and of course this top-of-the-line bottling is the rarest of their rare birds. The fruit for Signé François comes mostly from the family’s oldest vines in Grand Cru Cramant, and it’s clear from the first sip that no dosage is necessary: The wine delivers astonishing richness and vivid minerality in equal measure.
If ever a Champagne begged for a nice big Burgundy stem (you know how we feel about flutes), this 2010 is it. Despite being bracingly bone dry (Brut Zéro), this wine is as luxurious and broad as Champagne gets. It really is “Burgundy with bubbles,” sporting a velvety mousse, lots of floral, yellow apple, and citrus aromas, and an endless finish that vibrates like the guitar chord in an epic rock song. Larmandier is widely recognized in the press for bottling Champagne with exceptional cellar potential, so don’t hesitate to set some aside for the long term. This 2010 is already profound, so I can only imagine what it will be like in 5-8 years’ time. Pair it with main-course seafood dishes and allow the temperature to creep up past 50 degrees for maximum enjoyment—as impressive as it would be as an apéritif, this really deserves a marquee showcase. Sit with it. See how it improves in the glass. You’ll be glad you did. Enjoy!
