NV Gaston Chiquet “Blanc de Blancs d’Aÿ” Brut, Grand Cru, Champagne, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This 100% Chardonnay is from vineyards around the village of Aÿ. Blended exclusively from white (Chardonnay) grapes grown in an area known for red grapes. The product of more than one harvest, this nonvintage Champagne highlights the unique character of the terroir rather than a particular year. The base wine comes from the 2104 vintage. Soils are a mixture of clay and limestone on belemnita quadrata chalk. This chalk variety stores and radiates solar heat, maximizes drainage of excess water and retains humidity in summer. It stores the principal minerals that give the grapes their high ester content. 

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Nicolas Chiquet farms 23 hectares in the Valle de la Marne in the villages of Ay, Dizy, Hautvillers and Mareuil-sur-Ay. All of the fruit (including that which is used in the non-vintage cuvee) comes from premier and grand cru grapes. Nicolas does not employ any oak aging at Gaston Chiquet; he believes that concentration, fruit maturity and malolactic fermentation impart enough body and texture to make aging in barrel unnecessary.

The vineyards are planted to equal (forty percent each) parts chardonnay, pinot meunier and twenty percent are planted to pinot noir. Gaston-Chiquet also produces a vintage dated chardonnay from 5 parcels on the western side of the grand cru village of Ay. Usually recognized as a grand cru village for pinot noir, these vines of chardonnay were planted in Ay in the 1930s.