Waris-Larmandier - 'Les Bauves' Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cramant Brut Nature 2014

Located in Avize, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, Waris-Larmandier Champagne was founded in 1989 by 5th generation grower, Marie-Hélène Larmandier, and her husband, Vincent Waris. Following Vincent’s passing, Marie-Hélène continued the family business while also managing her family estate of Guy Larmandier with her brother. Our story and relationship start with the next generation at Waris-Larmandier, led by eldest-son Jean-Philippe Waris. He took charge of the vineyards and winemaking in 2009, after working with Benoît Lahaye to learn biodynamic farming, among other lessons. Jean-Philippe immediately began converting his family’s 9ha of old-vine vineyards in 2011, utilizing biodynamic and regenerative farming principles. Waris-Larmandier achieved their biodynamic certification from Demeter in 2020.

Today, he is joined by his architect brother, Pierre-Louis, and sister Inès, a designer and sculptor. The artistically minded siblings have all recently returned to their native village of Avize, not only to contribute to the family winery but also to transform their way of life, organized around their artistic and agrarian sensibilities. Together, with their mother, they form the racines de trois or “three roots” of Waris-Larmandier, each contributing a unique piece to the artistic vision of this young, dynamic Champagne domaine. Inès designed the distinctive floral labels in tribute to her mother’s famous flower boxes, which beautifully adorn their whitewashed family home in the vineyards at the entrance to the quaint Avize village.

Waris-Larmandier owns prime, old-vine vineyards of Grand Cru chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs, located in the villages of Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. They also farm a smaller percentage of pinot noir and pinot meunier vineyards in the Montagne de Reims as well as a few small plots in the Côte des Bar and Aube. Specializing in Blanc de Blancs Champagne, the Waris-Larmandier style is understated, structured, and ultra-elegant. 

Their family history is a similar story to other winemaking families in small, famous wine regions; they are related to everyone. Marie-Hélène is, of course, from the famous Larmandier family, her cousins own Larmandier-Bernier in Vertus, and her brother is the winemaker for their family winery Guy Larmandier. Also, the Gimonnets of Cuis are cousins. The late Vincent Waris’ side of the family includes his brother who produces the Waris-Hubert label, also in the village of Avize where his ancestors settled from Finland five generations ago. Such is a family history in Champagne.

Les Bauves is a lieu-dit parcel of 100% chardonnay from pure chalk, in the Côte des Blancs Grand Cru village of Cramant, elegant, powerful and mineral, with notes of brioche, white butter, creamy chalk, hawthorn flower, sweet almond, and toasted hazelnut notes. Les Bauves is serious and developed, with an extremely complex nose, incredible balance, and an unforgettable finish. The 2014 is one of the greatest examples of artisan Champagne we have experienced.

Grapes are hand-harvested and crushed by hand in a traditional 4000 kg vertical wooden basket press; only free-run juice is used for the primary fermentation. Spontaneous fermentation occurs with native yeasts in stainless steel. The base wine was aged 18 months in used 600L demi-muid Burgundy barrels and Avize Champagne barrels with spontaneous, partial malolactic fermentation before bottling. It was then aged on the lees for over seven years under natural cork (not crown cap), with hand-riddling and hand disgorgement based on the biodynamic calendar. No dosage is added, and the wine is unfiltered.

Producer:  Waris-Larmandier

Country: France

Region: Champagne

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Champagne 

Vintage: 2014

Size: 750ml