WTN: NV Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Extra Brut "Latitude"

Champagne, for us, is a pleasant occasional departure from the norm rather than something we've pursued seriously. Back in the day, we learned just enough to know that we especially enjoyed blanc de noirs from Pinot Noir, and not super-rich and super-creamy blanc de blancs, and so we gravitated toward producers from Bouzy, like Paul Bara and Camille Saves and Andre Clouet. But those wines have gotten expensive enough that we don't keep them around the house like we used to. Meanwhile, the "grower champagne" thing has become a Thing, or so I gather, but we don't know who's who and what's what. Last night, at a terrific meal at Nico Osteria in Chicago that brought together the Nico kitchen and chefs and cooks from three Japanese restaurants in Chicago (Momotaro, Juno, and Sumi) for a tasting menu of mostly seafood, seemed like the right time to dive back in, so I asked about three bottles and was recommended the Larmandier-Bernier NV Champagne Extra Brut "Latitude," a 100% Chardonnay that really impressed me and broke through my crude prejudice against blanc de blancs (not that dozens of other wines couldn't have done the same thing, I'm sure). Very finely crafted: just barely explicitly fruity, but enough to make it clear, thank goodness, that this is made from grapes and not planks; focused; rich without being heavy; with a long citrusy and minerally finish. A great match with the food -- which was outta this world. We ran out of Champagne just before the two fusiony pasta courses, a "tortellini in brodo" made with duck-filled buckwheat pasta in a duck and dashi broth with charred bok choi, and a pappardelle with tripe, beef tongue, and curry, both of which I wish could stay on the Nico menu for a while but probably won't; with those we had glasses of a lighter Etna Rosso from Valenti, which was a fine pairing and a better-than-average wine, all rose petals and earthy berries.