Vouette et Sorbée Blanc D'Argile Extra Brut, Champagne

2014 base, disgorged in October 2017. Within the cold, west-facing Biaunes lieu-dit there is a small parcel of Chardonnay (the Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir) that Gautherot planted wild, without preparing the soils, amongst the native vegetation. Established in 2000, with massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse's vines in Avize and Vincent Dauvissat's Valmur Grand Cru vineyard, this portion of the vineyard is now the origin of what Antonio Galloni calls "one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne." The vines here yield only 15-20 hl/ha each year--a key to the quality and intensity on offer.

Fermentation is wild and has traditionally taken place in a mix of Burgundian pièce and 400-litre fût, purchased from vigneron friends in Burgundy. The new vintages now include a portion of fruit fermented and raised in Georgian amphora. As with the Fidèle, this wine spent roughly 15 months in bottle, sur lattes, before being disgorged by hand with zero dosage.