The changing narrative of Champagne
Champagne sales are in crisis. Yes, consumer spend is tight globally, but alongside prices have risen dramatically against consumer dismay at the generic quality pushed out in the mass produced lines of the Big Brands (‘Grand Marques’).
But there is another narrative to Champagne, one that places it among the most dynamic of wine producing regions. Partly fuelled by increased competition from sparkling wine regions elsewhere in the world, and consumers in search of terroir driven wines and unique flavour profiles. Add to this the challenge of climate change and it becomes increasingly vital to adopt sustainable vineyard practices and adapt winemaking techniques. Producers who are meticulously focused on their own vineyards and crafting truly compelling Champagne are the sole focus of our champagne selections at Radford Dale Imports.
A top example are the new arrivals from Champagne Pierre Gerbais, a Grower producer in the Celles-sur-Ource of the Aube, the ‘rebellious south’ of Champagne and the spiritual home of the Grower movement.
Crucially, these wines embody the unique individuality that defines the very best of Champagne.
The Gerbais family have been growing vines for 8 generations. In the 1930s, the family opted to produce their own and stop selling their grapes to the Big Brands. Today, the domaine is run by Aurélien Gerbais. He’s young, assured, brilliant and admittedly more "Burgundian than Champenois" in approach. Aurélien schooled in Beaune, counting a number of top generational Burgundy peers among his friends and mentors - Gros, Grivot and Lachaux among them. Most importantly, Oliver Lamy (Domaine Hubert Lamy), one of the most influential viticulturists in France.
“We are a younger vignoble [than the Marne]. We couldn’t rely on our knowhow, and we continued to evolve. It takes the same time to get to school in Avize or Beaune.
And there was always that fight between the north and the south in Champagne. So, alot of Aubois prefer to study in Burgundy and they come back with the philosophy of Burgundy.” Aurélien Gerbais
Aurélien has expanded on the work of his father Pascal, employing individual tanks for separate vinification of the 20 domaine plots, which he refers to as ‘micro-winemaking’. As Burgundy, this approach recognises the particularities of certain slopes and parcels within a vineyard. There’s an uncompromising approach to the viticultural practices here, to be ‘precise with the personality of terroir’.
The year 2021 marked a new direction at Pierre Gerbais, transitioning the range to focus on “Lieu-Dit” (named vineyard) bottlings. Each wine produced from a vineyard perpetual reserve started in 2011. Each bottle bears the illustration of its unique terroir.
From 2021, the “Grains de Celles” blend of the domaine parcels becomes a vintage wine.
The result is a thrill ride of Champagne expressions. Fleshy, intellectual and commanding real attention as they fan out in the glass.
VIEW PIERRE GERBAIS wines
