Stylish refined Côte des Blancs wines with well integrated minerality. Mainly Blanc de blancs.
Champagne Pierre Gimonnet is a Grower-Producer with 28 hectares in Cuis in the Côte des Blancs. Run by Olivier and Didier Gimonnet, the wines are "silky, stylish wines rather than vigorous, racy wines" as importer Terry Theise says.
28 hectares make Gimmonet a fairly large Grower-Producer, and the vines are in the Grand Crus of Cramant, Chouilly, Oger, and, Aÿ, and the Premier Crus of Mareuil sur Aÿ and Cuis, and are 98% Chardonnay & 2% Pinot Noir.
Most of the vines are over 40 years old, and up to 100 years old. A low dosage, 6-8 grams/litre, is used. Grapes are harvested by hand, malolactic fermentation is carried out, and wines are lightly filtered on clay.
Cuis 1er Cru Brut NV - Their Non Vintage blend, 100% Chardonnay (and hence a Blanc de blancs), with the reserve wines stored in magnum.
Fleuron” Brut - This is their traditional vintage wine, and 30% to 50% of each years harvest goes into the Fleuron. It is Chouilly heavy, 100% Chardonnay, and the 2005 as an example was 45% Chouilly, 23% Cramant, 8% Oger and 23% Cuis.
“Cuvée Oenophile” Extra Brut - Their zero dosage wine, same blend as the Fleuron, at least most years.
"Spécial Club” Brut - 100% Chardonnay, mostly Cramant old vine along with a good dose (20-30%) of Cuis and some Chouilly. They sometimes hold back and later "re-release" some vintages of Spécial Club.
Tasting Note: Pierre Gimonnet Gastronome 2006 - April 2013, rated B+/A- and possibly underrated.
This started somewhat dull & really opened up to a wonderful wine after 45 minutes or so. Amazing transformation!
The nose has some very fresh apple and orange, with deep chalk. The chalk absolutely rocks and is well integrated into the rest of the nose. Orange blossoms with time.
The palate is tropical and warm, with guava, a touch of pineapple, a little orange without the citrus acidity. Some apple and sweet melon.