Gosset Grand Millesime Brut 2016

A wonderfully fresh and expressive first impression reveals pear and peach which develops into notes of grapefruit, aniseed and liquorice. The finely poised, full-bodied palate remains incredibly light, with every sip revealing notes of damson and Mirabelle plum followed by orange and pink grapefruit. Sustained by a bold liveliness, the wine finishes satisfyingly with just a hint of salinity.

Grand Millesime 2012 is a blend of 67% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Noir. The wine has been vinified and aged on lees with malolactic fermentation avoided, as per Gosset’s house style. This preserves the fruit aromas of the wine while allowing the wines to undergo longer ageing (5 years on lees). Dosage is 8 g/l to maintain balance without masking the wine’s personality.

Difficult conditions to begin with; some very low temperatures in winter and an early budding, with all sort of climatic issues and lot of rain during Spring. There was a sudden change in mid-July with dry and warm conditions until end August and cooler weather for harvest. A difficult vintage for the nerves but beautiful in the end: bright, lively, dynamic.

The Chardonnay shows exceptional character with great structure and depth while the Pinot Noir is more shy but complements the Chardonnay nicely with layers and flesh.

Producer

Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. It was founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset an alderman and wine-grower who made mostly red wines. At that time the region’s still wines competed for pride of place on the best tables of France with the wines of Beaune which were made from the same grape varieties as they are today.

In the 18^th century Gosset joined their neighbours and began to make the sparkling wines for the first time. It was at this time that the house adopted the unique antique flask-shaped bottle that is still used today.

Gosset’s wines are characterised by their purity and expressiveness. Grapes come mainly from premier and grand cru vineyards surrounding Epernay and their winemaking style is characterised by minimal intervention, extended ageing and no malolactic fermentation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the house’s focus.

Since 1993 Gosset has been owned by the Renaud Cointreau family who have sought to protect the quality and character of their wines. This has led them to keep production levels moderate and to respect the history of the house along with the integrity of the region and its vineyards.

Gosset Grand Millesime Brut 2012- Hay Wines