Pierre Gerbais Champs Viole Blanc de Blancs NV

Pierre Gerbais Champs Viole Blanc de Blancs NV

One of the new guard of young gun Champagne producers from the Aube. As South as you can get in Champagne, this subregion historically was considered a part of Burgundy. With a high propensity of Kimmeridgian soil, it's fossilised marl and chalk are reminiscent of Chablis. Aurelien Gerbais is apart of a handful of smaller producers like Cedric Bouchard, Vouette et Sorbee, Jacques Lassaigne and Ulysse Collin that are making extremely vinous cuvees, and with fully mature fruit, the Aube has a vintage profile of it's own and in some years cannot be likened to the conditions further North in Champagne. 

After studying in Burgundy, Aurélien spent his formative years as a winemaker working for Olivier Lamy and Hubert Lamy in St Aubin. He spent 3 years there, prior to returning to his family's holdings in the Aube in 2011. As soon as he arrived he initiated a program focused on showing terroir of specific older vine Lieu Dit through Solera/perpetual reserve bottlings. These perpetual reserves are now 8 years old and as William Kelley quips "Aurélien Gerbais is one of the most promising and most confidence inspiring rising stars of the Aube"

100% Chardonnay. "From a south-facing parcel that was once the cemetery of the monks who planted the first vineyards in Celles-sur-Ource, the NV Extra-Brut Champ Viole is drawn from a perpetual reserve spanning the 2011-2018 vintages that's been matured in tank. Delivering complex aromas of pear, sweet orchard fruit, white flowers, buttery pastry and nutmeg, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a deep core of fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse." 93 Points - William Kelley, Wine Advocate