Guy Larmandier Champagne Cramant GC Brut Zero BDB NV

Everything we love about Champagne is found in this bottle from Guy Larmandier. This is a small-scale grower production with a maniacal attention to detail that puts the Big Houses to shame. Sourced from just 8 acres of Grand Cru vineyards in Cramant—the undisputed epicenter for Chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs—this is a wine for those who prefer their bubbles with a side of bracing purity.

The “Brut Zéro” designation is the real star here. By omitting the final addition of sugar (dosage), the Larmandier family allows the chalky, limestone-rich soils of Cramant to take center stage. The result is a Champagne that is bone-dry, fresh, and filigreed, with a fine acidity that marries flavors of green apple, lemon zest, and toasted almond.

Expect a racy, driving palate with a saline minerality that practically demands a plate of raw oysters or high-quality sushi. It’s elegant, austere in the best way possible, and a quintessential example of what happens when you let the terroir do the talking.