Larmandier-Bernier Extra Brut Champagne Rosé de Saignee NV

95 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(90% pinot noir and 10% pinot gris, coplanted; 45-year-old vines, believed to be the oldest pinot noir in Vertus; 2019 base vintage; saignée; wild fermented in Nomblot concrete egg and stainless steel; disgorged September 2021; 3g/L dosage). Larmandier's enigmatic Rosé de Saignée is in a wonderfully compelling and characterful place in the great 2019 season. I love the way it delivers bright red fruit luminosity, enticing complexity and harmoniously composed structure, a harrowing balance to achieve in saignée rosé. The result is testimony to Pierre Larmandier and his boy's care and attentiveness in the vines and the gentle élevage of this cuvée. The result is the essence of Vertus pinot noir, pinging with cracked pink pepper, sarsaparilla, crunchy little wild strawberries and juicy raspberries. Perfectly polished tannins meld seamlessly with glistening, saline chalk minerality on a finish that glides and lingers long and exciting. (2024)"

94 points Kristaps Karklins (Wine Advocate): "Disgorged in February 2024 with two grams per liter dosage, Larmandier’s 2021 vintage-based NV Extra-Brut Rosé de Saignée derives from the estate’s oldest vines in Vertus, mostly east-facing. Lighter in structure and with a less-saturated hue compared to the 2020 rendition, it was macerated for two and a half days and features higher proportion of Pinot Gris (about 15% to 20%). Vinified in 500-liter barrels, it reveals a bouquet of redcurrant, orange zest and cranberry mingling with spices. Medium-bodied and precise, marked by the vintage's acidic signature and concluding with a long, perfumed finish, it’s one of the more delicate editions of this cuvée—particularly when compared to its immediate predecessor’s exuberant aromatics and phenolic structure. Drink: 2024-2034. (Dec 2024)"

94 points/'Rosé Brut (Single Terroir) Champagne of the Year 2022,' Tom Hewson (TimAtkin.com): "15% Pinot Gris, 85% Pinot Noir from Vertus in 2019, from a single co-planted plot. This is a standout saignée, bursting with dried strawberry, cherry and bitter herbs, fragrant with baking spices and peppery, sweet savoury touches. Super invigorating, juicy and joyous, this is irresistible. (Dec 2022)"

93+ points Sarah Mayo (The Wine Independent): "Based on the 2020 vintage, the Rosé de Saignée is a Pinot Noir rosé fermented in enamel-lined stainless steel after a two-to-three-day maceration on skins to extract color, aged 36-48 months on fine lees, hand disgorged and finished with a three gram per liter dosage, then kept an additional 6 months prior to release. Wonderfully spicy and savory with aromas of mixed berry fruit leather, red apple, crushed oyster shell and hints of flower honey, the medium to full-bodied palate has a supple, creamy mousse radiating red fruit intensity and buoyant acidity that finishes with a red apple peel tannic grip on the finish. Excellent rosé to enjoy with a meal, or on its own. 900 cases were produced. Alcohol 12.5%. Drink: 2023-2030. (11/26/23)"

93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "[$145 list] The NV (2021) Rosé de Saignée is laced with cranberry, orange peel, cinnamon and dried flowers. It's a gorgeous, seductive Rosé, a Champagne that deftly marries the textural richness that was once such a focus in this bottling with the greater sense of vibrancy that informs today's wines. Clean mineral accents shape the deceptively understated finish. The blend is 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Gris, an unusual combination that works quite well here. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: March 2024; multiple disgorgements throughout the year. Drink: 2025-2031. (Nov 2025)"

93 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "Pure 2021, though it's not labeled, the NV Champagne Premier Cru Rose de Saignée Extra Brut offers the purity of framboise and is so on point, with a zesty freshness. It's a delightful rosé, especially if they can maintain the freshness. Offering notes of roses, raspberries, and fresh almond, this is a step above others I have had. Dosage is only 2 grams per liter. (12/15/25)"

93 points Tom Hewson (Decanter): "The village of Vertus is unusual in the Côte des Blancs for playing host to a historical plantation of Pinot Noir. Here it is assembled with a little Pinot Gris by Côte des Blancs stalwarts Pierre and Sophie Larmandier into a striking, deep-cherry rosé de saignée (made by macerating the Pinot Noir skins in the juice at press). Absolutely bursting with strawberry and floral tones yet still manages to retain a linear, focused energy and supple texture that’s quite unusual for the style. A Côte des Blancs original. Drinking Window: 2024-2026. (May 2024)"