Vouette et Sorbée Blanc d'Argile Blanc de Blancs Base 22. Disg. Jan. 25 Magnum 1.5L, Champagne

The nose is a festival of white citrus and citrus blossom and cool, aromatic lemongrass. Verbena. Very very pretty. Like a song of spring. Lilting and lacy and looping and yet with these superbly mouth-watering wet-clay, cold-earth undertones. Clay soused in lemon juice. Finishes with wheatgerm savoury sweetness, which ends up framing the entire wine firmly and deftly as well as giving it a beautiful slightly smudgy structure to contrast with the precision of the bubbles.

Tamlyn Currin, Jancis Robinson

Within the cold, west-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone-rich lieu-dit of Biaunes, there is a small plot of Chardonnay that Gautherot planted wild—that is, without preparing the soils and among native vegetation (a totally crazy idea). The Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir, but in 2000, Gautherot chose Chardonnay. He used mass-selection cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s vines (in Avize) and Vincent Dauvissat’s Valmur Grand Cru vineyard. This plot has become the base of what Antonio Galloni calls “one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne.” As of 2020, the cuvée also includes fruit from the Fonnet vineyard as well as Vouette itself, which was previously planted to Pinot Noir before replanting to Chardonnay several years ago.Indigenous yeasts ferment the wine in used 500- and 600-litre barrels, with a small portion fermented and raised in Georgian amphorae crafted by the last Georgian family specialising in the round, bulb-like shape. As with Fidèle, this wine spends roughly 15 to 18 months in bottle on lees before disgorgement by hand with zero dosage. For the record, the Biaunes vines yield only 15 to 20 hl/ha each year, which is key to the depth and mineral intensity on offer.

Bertrand Gautherot has made Vouette et Sorbée one of the most sought after grower Champagne estates in the Côte des Bar. Working with organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards around Buxières-sur-Arce, he produces deeply individual Champagnes that reflect their origins rather than following a conventional house style. Blanc d'Argile is his remarkable Blanc de Blancs, a Chardonnay of wonderful character and intensity.

The name refers to the clay rich soils of the vineyard, where Chardonnay develops an unusual combination of richness, freshness and earthy complexity. Fermentation in oak and extended maturation on lees contribute texture and savoury detail, while the low dosage style preserves the wine's natural energy.

Pale gold with a fine, lively mousse. Ripe lemon, yellow apple and white peach mingle with toasted hazelnut, fresh bread and a hint of dried flowers. The palate is broad and beautifully textured, with concentrated citrus, gentle orchard fruit and a distinctive chalky, saline character. Subtle spice and savoury notes carry through a long, mouthwatering finish.

Try it with grilled abalone and lemon, crab and saffron risotto, or crispy artichokes with Parmesan and aioli. Its combination of richness and mineral freshness also makes it a lovely partner for aged sheep's milk cheeses.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2034, depending on disgorgement. Particularly compelling with a little bottle age, when its savoury and nutty complexity becomes more pronounced.