Textures

Textures is a rare, 100% Pinot Blanc Champagne crafted from vines planted between 1995 and 2000 in the Fonnet vineyard. Gautherot describes it as his “easiest” wine, meaning the most approachable when young. There is fleshier texture (hence the name), more fruit and an easier-going persona than in his Blanc d’Argile. There is also plenty of intensity, complexity and fabulous poise.

The grapes fermented and were raised in large, buried Georgian amphora and used oak barrels, as well as a couple of Italian dolia (round-bodied earthenware pots) for roughly nine months before blending. The bulbous amphora, crafted by the last Georgian family specialising in this shape, affords Gautherot the kind of lees contact and minimal oxidation he looks for. A portion of the fruit macerated and fermented on skins. After blending, the wine spent roughly 18 months on lees in bottle. Sadly, this cuvée is no longer produced as Bertrand's brother has taken back the vineyard that supplied the wine, so this will be one of the final releases (if not the last). Cherish it while you can!

- Importer Note