Champagne Gatinois

The Gatinois story begins in 1696 with the marriage of Nicolas Le Cacheur and Françoise Remy, establishing the family's presence on the hillsides of Aÿ. Charles Gatinois married into the family in 1921, and the Gatinois name has graced bottles ever since. For much of its history, the estate sold grapes to major Champagne houses, including Bollinger, before gradually shifting toward greater estate bottling. Louis Cheval, a trained geologist and the 12th generation of this family, took over operations in 2010, bringing a scientific rigour to the chalky limestone vineyards his ancestors have worked for more than three centuries.

• Family presence in Aÿ documented from 1696
• Gatinois name on labels dates to 1921 following Charles Gatinois's marriage into the family
• Historically supplied grapes to major houses such as Bollinger before increasing estate bottling
• Louis Cheval, 12th generation and former geologist, became proprietor in 2010

Gatinois sits in the village of Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne, one of only 17 villages in Champagne to hold Grand Cru status. The vineyards cover 7.2 hectares of chalky limestone soils under a temperate continental climate with ideal sun exposure. A defining feature of these vineyards is the 'Le Petit Pinot d'Aÿ,' a Pinot Noir clone found exclusively in Aÿ, which contributes to the distinctive character of Gatinois wines.

• Aÿ is one of 17 Grand Cru villages in Champagne
• Soils are chalky limestone, classic for the region
• The exclusive 'Le Petit Pinot d'Aÿ' Pinot Noir clone is used across the estate
• Of 7.2 hectares Grand Cru, about 6.2 ha is Pinot Noir and 1 ha Chardonnay

Gatinois practices meticulous viticulture and cellar work across all cuvées. Grapes are hand-harvested with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with no oak influence. Wines are aged sur lattes for 2 to 8 years depending on the cuvée. All bottles are hand-riddled and disgorged using the traditional à la volée method. Dosage is kept to 7g/l or less, preserving the natural fruit and mineral character of the Pinot Noir.

• Fermentation in stainless steel; no oak used
• Sur lattes aging from 2 to 8 years depending on cuvée
• Hand-riddling and à la volée disgorgement for all bottles
• Dosage of 7g/l or less across the range

Gatinois produces four primary cuvées. The Brut Tradition NV forms the backbone of the range, built on Pinot Noir from Aÿ. The Grand Cru Brut Rosé and Réserve round out the non-vintage lineup. The Brut Millésime is released only in declared vintage years. All wines follow the house style: 80 to 90 percent Pinot Noir, 10 to 20 percent Chardonnay, with aromas of red fruit, cherry, earth, and spice. Annual production reaches approximately 3,300 cases.

• Primary cuvées: Brut Tradition NV, Grand Cru Brut Rosé, Réserve, and Brut Millésime
• Pinot Noir represents 80 to 90 percent of all blends
• Brut Millésime produced in vintage years only
• Approximately 3,300 cases bottled annually