Product Description
Varieties
85 % Pinot Meunier
15 % Chardonnay
The Vineyard
Clay-silt soil, calcareous and clay, a little sand. Blend from our 7 surrounding villages, mainly facing South.
Champagne Gratiot & Cie cultivate 18 hectares of vines in the department of Aisne. The family vineyard is adequately representative of the region and is composed of 84% Pinot Meunier, 13% of Chardonnay and 3% of Pinot Noir. As the vineyard was developed, it seemed indisputable to produce Pinot Meunier, a robust and expressive variety of vine, ambassador of the brand around the world.
The estate now evolves under the keen eyes of Rémy Gratiot and his team, who grow the three types of vine in seven villages of the Aisne Department: Saulchery, Charly-sur-Marne, Villiers-Saint-Denis, Romeny-sur-Marne, Azy-Bonneil and Essomes-sur-Marne. The 43 vine plots are steadily supervised by the members of the Champagne Gratiot & Cie team.
The whole team works with great accuracy and a total control of the vineyard by applying the « zoning » technique. A strict respect of the vine allows obtaining the best from the vine by ensuring high quality grapes. This level of requirement is possible only through a regular follow up and a deep knowledge of each vine plot. The members of the team have become experts in understanding soils, in order to adapt variety of vine, work technique, and care of the vine.
Special attention has been paid to integrated viticulture, a growing method which promotes, inter alia, the reduction of treatments. This strong commitment from Champagne Gratiot & Cie makes it possible to reconcile, environmental preservation, balance between fauna and flora, and continuous search for quality. An approach which requires a high degree of personal involvement of Rémy and his team on a nearly daily basis.
The Cellar
Thermo-regulated stainless steel vats 98 % of wines produced by malolactic fermentation 1 % from casks.
DOSAGE : 9gr/litre
Rémy Gratiot expresses his philosophy in both the work in the vineyards and the making of his wines. To remain true to the know-how of his elders, he harvests the grapes at their optimum ripeness. This drastic selection, made according to the aromatic evolution, the age of the vine, and an accurate knowledge of the vineyard, allows an optimum pressing. As the Cellar Master, Rémy gives priority to quality by segregating the juices which wouldn’t meet the “Gratiot & Cie” style.
To ensure excellence and diversity of aromas, the Champagne Gratiot & Cie has been equipped over generations with efficient vats, a blend of tradition and technology. A first space composed of thirty compartments allows Rémy to make his wines in stainless steel vats. A second space composed of enamelled vats allows to produce the reserve wines. A third and last space, with 34 vats containing 225 hectolitres each, is entirely dedicated to the ageing of the finest cuvées.
Champagne Gratiot & Cie pays particular attention to the ageing and organoleptic properties of their wines. Once the extraction is complete, the time comes to blending. For the members of the Gratiot Family, this step owes nothing to chance, but is the result of deliberate and precise choices: the very particular style of Champagne Gratiot & Cie.
