Champagne Pierre Gerbais Les Grandes Cotes

In 2021, Aurélien Gerbais dismantled his multi-cuvée range and rebuilt it entirely around single-vineyard bottlings — a structural decision that placed each parcel's Kimmeridgian identity at the centre of every wine. Les Grandes Côtes is 100% Pinot Noir from Celles-sur-Ource, where soils of Kimmeridgian marl and limestone — dense with fossilised ammonites, geologically akin to Chablis — sit above bands of Portlandian clay-limestone, delivering both tensile mineral drive and textural depth. Hand-harvested fruit is pressed in a traditional Coquard press, with cold débourbage at 12°C before primary fermentation in stainless steel using indigenous pied-de-cuve yeasts; full malolactic fermentation is completed in tank. Zero SO2 is added during vinification or ageing — only a minimal adjustment at bottling (total SO2 ~25–30 mg/L). The wine ages sur lattes for a minimum of 30–36 months, then rests at least six months post-disgorgement before release. Dosage is fixed at Extra Brut 3 g/L using rectified grape must rather than cane sugar, preserving site purity. The zero-SO2 vinification protocol for a grower Champagne at this price point is genuinely rare — a transparency commitment that most Aube peers have not matched. Drink now through 4–5 years from disgorgement date.