Champagne Vouette & Sorbée Blanc d'Argile R18

Bertrand’s “Blanc d’Argile”, which takes its name from the strong clay component of the soils the vines grow on near the village of Buxières-sur-Arce in the heart of the Côte des Bar, is a Blanc de Blancs of majestic substance and enlightening finesse. The Chardonnay grapes, once carefully hand-harvested, ferment wildly with their native yeasts and then undergo the second fermentation in the bottle, after which the wine ages and rests for no less than 36 months between barrel and bottle. Ethereal yet deeply and beautifully tense and vibrant, it sings with minerality and notes of bergamot confit, dried elderflowers and spiced pink grapefruit.

Bertrand Gautherot, the Champagne “artist” behind this delightful artisanal and natural maison, works a tiny estate of about 5 hectares in Aubes’ Buxières-sur-Arce, in the heart of the Côte des Bar. Long since certified organic and biodynamic, the farm is divided in the two parcels “Vouette” and “Sorbee” and rests on ancient Jurassic-originated clay-limestone soils. Every single step of the lovingly executed winemaking process, from the harvest to the remuage and degorgement, is done by hand by Bertrand and his family. Fermented with their native yeasts, these are wines of deep and meditative minerality yet of exuberant and elegant freshness.

Wine: Blanc d’Argile
Appellation: Nature
Vintage: nv
Terroir: The vineyard is located in Buxieres-sur-Arce with 18 years old vines standing on calcerous clay on bands of Kimmeridgian soil common to Chablis. Certified organic since 1998 and biodynamic for the past 20 years.
Average of vines: 18 years
Composition: 100% chardonnay
Dosage: 0 g/L
Certification: Organic/biodynamic
Bottle size: 75 cl and 150 cl