Champagne Vouette et Sorbée Blanc d'Argile Blanc de Blancs 1.5L MAGNUM NV Base 20, Disg. Jan 2024

Champagne Vouette et Sorbée Blanc d'Argile is a Blanc de Blancs from the Côte des Bar, grown on a plot of Chardonnay planted into native vegetation without any preparation of the soil, and bottled here in magnum.

The Côte des Bar, in the far south of Champagne, is overwhelmingly Pinot Noir country, so Bertrand Gautherot's decision in 2000 to plant Chardonnay in the cold, west-facing Kimmeridgian limestone of Biaunes was an unusual one. He used massal-selection cuttings from Anselme Selosse in Avize and from Vincent Dauvissat's Valmur in Chablis, and put them in wild, among the existing vegetation. Biaunes yields only 15 to 20 hl/ha, which accounts for much of the wine's depth and mineral intensity. From 2020 the cuvée also draws on the Fonnet vineyard and on Vouette itself, replanted to Chardonnay after years under Pinot Noir. Indigenous yeasts ferment the wine in used 500- and 600-litre barrels, with a small portion fermented and raised in Georgian amphorae. It spends roughly 15 to 18 months on lees in bottle before hand disgorgement with zero dosage.

Drinking now and capable of several more years in magnum. Serve with oysters, roast turbot or smoked trout at around 8°C.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.