Time is a central element in Champagne. Observing its impact on the wines is one of Champagne’s great pleasures: its effect on flavour, texture and mousse; the different trajectories of pre- and post-disgorgement ageing, the intersecting pleasures of freshness and maturity.
No wonder that Champagne’s oldest house*, Gosset, founded in 1584, is playing with the concept. Gosset is appreciated for its uncompromisingly fresh yet intense, non-malolactic style. In 2016, Gosset released its first experiment of the series with Gosset 15 Ans de Cave a Minima, to mixed reviews. It was a multi-vintage wine that had been aged for 15 years on its lees. This is considerably more than the five to 10 years that vintage wines and prestige cuvées usually age. The second outing of this idea was launched this week as Gosset 12 Ans de Cave a Minima.
Cellar master Odilon de Varine said: ‘Twelve years is long, but it is not that long for a wine of this pedigree.’ The project and the wine, he said, ‘speak about time, because nobody has enough time, so time is the idea of luxury.’
Made from 51% Pinot Noir from the villages of Aÿ, Louvois, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy and 49% Chardonnay from Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Villers-Marmery, de Varine emphasised that the base wines from these villages ‘are known for their potential. That is a strong focus.’ Reserve wines constitute 8% of the wine, with the rest based on the rich and opulent 2006 vintage.
De Varine explained that he needed to create a blend that would be ‘strong enough’ to support the competing forces of the oxidation over time and the reduction created by the contact the wine has with the lees, the residual yeast from the second fermentation. ‘The key thing for this cuvée was to make a very fresh wine with that amount of potential.’ As always, to keep ‘purity, elegance and salinity’ all the wines were made in stainless steel while malolactic fermentation was avoided. This niche cuvée of just 12,000 bottles was cellared in 2007 and disgorged in December 2019 with a dosage of 7g/L. The dosage was dissolved in pure Chardonnay which, said de Varine, ‘lifts the profile of 2006’.
De Varine suggested that the wine was aperitif and food match at the same time and suggested carafing – rather than decanting – just the right amount of wine needed for a main course after the aperitif was poured. ‘That’s the idea; to have two different wines from the same bottle.’
*NB Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house making just Champagne, Gosset made wines since 1584, long before Champagne as we know it today was perfected.
First taste: Gosset 12 Ans de Cave a Minima Brut
