A Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) champagne, Terre de Vertus 2015 is a single-terroir and single-vintage cuvée elaborated from a mid-slope, chalky plot in the Premier Cru village of Vertus in the Côte des Blancs. The well-established parcel of Les Barillers produces wines that are delicate, saline, complex and, above all, intrinsically balanced. As such, the Larmandiers cultivate fruit carefully and vinify the wine separately and slowly to respect the terroir’s purity from beginning to end.

After the grapes are gently pressed, the juices go directly into wood with both the alcoholic and the malolactic fermentations beginning spontaneously. The wines are matured on natural lees during their first year, with no fining or filtration prior to bottling. Following the second fermentation, the cuvée is matured for at least another 5 years, then disgorged 6 months before release and finished with zero dosage. Since the first vintage in 1995, long before the style was in vogue, Terre de Vertus has been non-dosé (zero dosage), becoming a cornerstone cuvée for the terroir-driven grower revolution. Each release is highly coveted by a devoted following; simply unmissable.

Persistent, the fine golden bead pulses upwards, channelling the racy impression that will soon impact the palate. The aromas are sweepingly gorgeous: black apple, stone fruit and honey-drizzled fig, evolving into cream and cashews. A vivacious palate follows—energetic, tense and crystalline—striking a natural balance between rich vinosity and incredible purity. At first, citrus pith and nashi pear drive the flavours, yielding to sweet stone fruits, dark bread crust and a distant note of fruit stems. The finish is dry, linear and chalky with salient minerality and a characteristic saline crunch. For all lovers of complex and age-worthy vintage champagnes, Terre de Vertus is all class.

Perfectly paired with freshly shucked oysters or pan-fried salmon croquettes dipped in hollandaise sauce. For an intriguing match that offers a medley of fruity notes, enjoy Terre de Vertus 2015 with gorgonzola dolce cheese. For an earthy, savoury pairing, enjoy with pecorino truffle cheese.