Champagne Guy Larmandier
Nov 07
By Josh Raynolds
NV Guy Larmandier Brut 91
( LR4 on bottle)
Pale yellow with a fine bead. Pungent lemon and pink grapefruit aromas are
complicated by honeysuckle and an exotic anise quality. Taut citrus fruit
and pith flavors are impressively concentrated and sharply focused, carrying
through a long, spicy finish. This displays outstanding clarity and persistence.
NV Guy Larmandier Blanc de Blancs Cramant Grand Cru 92
( LR4 on bottle) Light gold. Impressively perfumed
nose offers pungent, mineral-accented citrus and Anjou pear aromas and a
stony mineral quality. Velvety orchard fruit flavors firm up on the close,
gaining a supple orange tone and finishing with excellent persistence. Concentrated,
elegant and precise.
NV Guy Larmandier Brut Rose 91
(LR4 on bottle) Medium pink. Fresh cranberry and blood orange on the nose,
with a fine dusting of minerals adding vivacity. Fleshier strawberry and
cranberry flavors are firmed and complicated by a bitter, amaro-like quality.
Seems more dense and powerful than past bottlings, finishing with serious
chewy grip and depth. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY) November/December 2003
Vertus Brut 1er Cru NV 90
Very pale silvery-green color. Ripe, spicy and complex on the nose, with notes of apple, pear, lemon and iodine. Rich and full but pure and vibrant, with brisk notes of apple and baking spices. Mouthwatering acids accentuate the wine's dryness and give the finish a juicy quality. Intriguing suggestion of peppery snap pea on the back end. Excellent for this bottling.
Brut Rose 89
Highly aromatic nose of strawberry, minerals and flowers, with a suggestion of peat. Ripe, frothy and light; very dry and minerally. Very bright, firm, persistent finish.
Blanc de Blancs Cramant Grand Cru NV 91
Pale, green-tinged color. Vivid, steely aromas of lemon, key lime, powdered stone and minerals. Extremely pure, elegant and focused, with superb clarity and intensity of flavor. The strong key lime quality carries through in the mouth. A no-dosage Champagne with nothing to hide.
November/December 2001
NV Rose Brut: Pale strawberry color. Aromas of strawberry and raspberry. Round and fruity in the mouth, with slightly candied flavors of modest complexity. But doesnít quits come alive. A wine of moderate clarity and persistence. 86.
NV Vertus Brut 1er Cru Brut: Pale, green-tinged color. Lively aromas of lemon, lime and snap pea, mint toast and vanilla. Juicy, bright and intensely flavored, with ripe fruit flavors enlivened by piquant citric cut. Pure, focused wine with a brisk, persistent finish. 90.
NV Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc: Pale color. Restrained aromas of line, orange oil and chalk. Fresh and frothy in the mouth, with atypical size and richness for the cuvee. Slightly disjointed lemon and chalk flavors should harmonize with another year or two of bottle aging. Very long on the palate. A no-dosage Champagne thatís perfectly ripe and balanced without any addition of sugar. 90(+?)
La Revue du Vin de France
December 2003
Cramant Grand Cru Blanc des Blancs NV * * * * (*)
Cramant requires a few years to express itself. Today it appears very lively and racy; tomorrow it will make a magnificent Champagne of great complexity fit for the table.
Wine Spectator
September 30, 2003
Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs NV 90
The floral aroma segues into effusive red berry flavors in this delicate, firmly structured Champagne. It literally dances on the palate, with fine persistence of flavor through the lingering finish. Drink now. 2000 cases made.
Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Cramant NV 87
An open-textured, bright Champagne, offering white flower and citrus flavors. It lightens up a little on the finish. Drink now. 2000 cases made.
November 15, 2002
88. Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Cuvee Prestige Cramant 1998.
The initial apple, yeast and candylike flavors improve with air in this elegant, light-bodied Champagne. It has a firm, dry profile with a lingering bread dough aftertaste. Drink now through 2008. 50 cases imported.
89. Brut Rose Champagne NV
Fresh berry and cherry notes highlight this lightweight, crisp rose. Balanced and well-delineated, with a mouthwatering finish. Excellent as an aperitif. Drink now. 250 cases imported.
90. Brut Champagne NV
Complex melange of aromas and flavors from floral and citrus to tobacco and mineral highlight this firmly structured, racy Champagne. Fine intensity and length. Drink now. 500 cases imported.
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