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CHAMPAGNE
– STYLES –
Odilon de Varine and his deputy Gabrielle Malagu
Odilon de Varine blending the wines
regulations. A Cuvée 6 is also in the making, and will
feature some Pinot blanc.
With forty years of his life devoted to wine, Gobillard
reviews the major trends. “You have to follow fashions”,
says the frank company director. “Yes, obviously sugar
content has dropped and dosage is tending to head
towards Extra Brut levels”. Another aspect is singlevineyard
selections. Eloge du Chardonnay was already a
Blanc de Blancs label and the company’s first foray in this
direction. But in 2022, the house will release a Premier
Cru label sourced from an old vine vineyard site. The
wines are matured in sandstone tanks to add complexity
to the aromas.
GOSSET, WHERE THE WINE MATTERS,
NOT THE BUBBLES
This long-standing trading company – Aÿ 1584 – is now
owned by the Cointreau family. The fruit is all bought
under contract, points out cellar master Odilon de
Varine. As the house’s winemaker, he also specifies that
every tasting is always conducted blind. And contrary to
what people commonly believe, the share of Chardonnay
now prevails over that of Pinot noir.
Malolactic fermentation is carefully avoided for all the
wines. Tartaric acid and malic acid naturally occur in the
grapes so there is a duty to preserve them. “Ageing on
the lees is what gives the wine palate weight”, he stresses.
“Similarly, Champagne is first and foremost wine, the
bubbles are just one of its components. The vineyard site
and time spent on the lees are what matters”, he claims.
“The wine is what matters, not the bubbles! Let’s not talk
about the bubbles”.
The Grande Réserve is Gosset’s non-vintage Brut. Its
bottle is an exact replica of the one used by the family in
the 18th century. It accounts for approximately 45% of
sales. “It is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot noir with a
touch of Pinot Meunier. Reserve wines only account for
15%”, explains de Varine. That’s because the Champagne
method involves ageing on the lees. The reserve wines are
usually stored in tanks and used in small amounts, like
spices for cooking. Dosage is around 8g/litre.
The Extra Brut label is new to the range. “Yes, a lot of
people want lower dosage, for a number of reasons”,
22 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE