Champagne Vouette & Sorbée 'Fidèle' Brut Nature

I [Chris] have been a fan of these wines for quite some time; in fact, this was one of the first Grower Champagnes I experienced as a young somm, and one of the first that was a super savoury experience. I feel that over the years, they have become less extreme - a good thing in my opinion - and now they have a nice balance of fruit and savoury, with a finish that is more refreshing than ever. Winemaker Bertrand Gautherot inherited two plots from his father in the ‘80s, for which his estate is named. Vouette, which is right behind his house, is now planted entirely to Chardonnay (since 2014) because he felt like the soils were better suited to this variety rather than the Pinot Noir that was planted there. The other plot, Sorbée, is up the hill from Vouette but is now only sourced for the family’s personal consumption. Luckily for us, he has since acquired four other plots that contribute to this cuvée, his core wine. The generosity of the Pinot Noir here paired with the initial oak and a touch of reserve wine builds tons of richness and complexity. This is one of the few non-dosage wines that I [Chris] wnjoy and think is super balanced. We definitely recommend having food with this one though!

We love it with… Anything rich & fatty is the ticket! Fried chicken, braised meats, or umami-laden noodles.

Type: Sparkling
Size: 750mL
ABV: 11.5%
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Côte des Bar, Champagne, France
Vinification: Bertrand has been farming biodynamically since the late ’90s, which is unusual for Champagne due to its northerly location, which suffers from erratic and marginal weather conditions, making it a challenge to farm this way until recently (thank you, climate change). 100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in neutral oak and aged on the lees for just 20 months. Upon disgorgement, there isn’t any sugar added.

For the nerds: https://www.europeancellars.com/producer/champagne-vouette-et-sorbee/