Pierre Gimonnet et Fils

The Gimonnet family has cultivated vines in Cuis, on the northern edge of the Côte des Blancs, since 1750. For nearly two centuries, grapes were sold to négociants. Pierre Gimonnet changed that in 1935, becoming the first in the family to bottle estate wine under the Gimonnet label. His son Michel took charge in 1955 and made a pivotal decision: to vinify each vineyard parcel separately in stainless steel, preserving individual terroir character at a time when blending across large volumes was standard practice. Today, Didier and Olivier Gimonnet manage the domaine, maintaining those principles across 40 separate parcels and a production of 250,000 bottles annually.

• Family grape-growing history in Cuis traceable to 1750
• Estate bottling began under Pierre Gimonnet in 1935
• Michel Gimonnet pioneered parcel-by-parcel stainless steel vinification from 1955
• Didier and Olivier Gimonnet are the current third-generation managers

The estate's 28 hectares span some of the most coveted chalk terroirs on the Côte des Blancs. The home base in Cuis sits on north-facing slopes at elevations between 90 and 300 metres, while Grand Cru parcels in Cramant, Chouilly, and Oger benefit from east-facing aspects that deliver gentle morning sun. All sites sit on Belemnite chalk, the fine-grained, calcium-rich subsoil that defines the mineral character of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay. Topsoil depth varies parcel to parcel, contributing to the stylistic differences Gimonnet captures through individual vinification. Two plots in Cramant stand out for their age: Le Fond du Bateau, planted in 1911, and Buisson, planted in 1913, making them over a century old.

• 16 hectares Premier Cru (Cuis, Vertus, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) and 12 hectares Grand Cru (Cramant, Chouilly, Oger, Aÿ)
• Belemnite chalk subsoils with varying topsoil depths across 40 parcels
• Elevations range from 90 to 300 metres with north and east-facing aspects
• Oldest vines planted 1911 and 1913 in Cramant

Chardonnay dominates the estate at 98%, with a token 2% Pinot Noir. The vine age profile is a major asset: 70% of vines exceed 30 years old, and the oldest Cramant plots exceed 110 years. Older vines produce lower yields and more concentrated, complex fruit. Michel Gimonnet's decision to ferment each parcel separately in stainless steel remains the house philosophy under Didier and Olivier. Stainless steel preserves freshness and allows the chalk-derived minerality to express itself without the softening influence of oak. The continental-oceanic climate of the Côte des Blancs, with its cool temperatures, steady rainfall, and adequate sunshine, suits Chardonnay's need for slow, even ripening.

• 98% Chardonnay across all holdings; 2% Pinot Noir
• 70% of vines are over 30 years old; centenary vines in Cramant
• Individual parcel vinification in stainless steel preserves terroir expression
• Continental-oceanic climate with cool temperatures supports slow Chardonnay ripening

Pierre Gimonnet et Fils has been a member of the Special Club, formally known as Club Trésors de Champagne, since the organisation's founding in 1971. The Special Club is a collective of quality-focused Champagne grower-producers who submit wines for blind tasting approval before release. Gimonnet's 50-year involvement marks the estate as one of the Club's defining members. In terms of classification, the estate holds a mix of Premier Cru and Grand Cru status: Cuis, Vertus, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ carry Premier Cru designation, while Cramant, Chouilly, Oger, and Aÿ are classified Grand Cru under Champagne's village-level classification system.

Gimonnet's wines are textbook expressions of Côte des Blancs Blanc de Blancs: lean, precise, and mineral-driven, with the chalky backbone that Belemnite subsoils consistently deliver. The house style favors elegance and terroir transparency over richness or overt yeast-driven character. Across the range, from the entry-level Cuis Premier Cru non-vintage to the prestige Special Club bottlings from Grand Cru parcels, the thread connecting all wines is the bright acidity and saline, stony finish that only old-vine Chardonnay on chalk can produce. Vintage-dated and single-vineyard cuvées showcase the parcel-level differences Michel Gimonnet identified when he began vinifying separately in the 1950s.