For 12 generations, Gatinois has been producing wine in Champagne. And this in perhaps the most famous place in the region, in Ay, whose vineyards are a few of the Champagne classified as Grand Cru sites. Large houses such as Moet & Chandon or Bollinger are represented here, but also small, premium Champagne producers like Gatinois.
The house, now considered an insider tip among connoisseurs, was founded as early as 1696, albeit under a different name at the time. The name Gatinois first appeared through the marriage of Marie Michel-Le Cacheur with Charles Gatinois. Her father was a co-founder of the wine syndicate.
Consistently resisting the lure of steady growth, just 7.5 hectares are farmed in prime Grand Cru parcels around Ay. Strict selection of the best grapes once again ensures that the quantities produced are minimized. What falls through the cracks is sold to the big Champagne houses.
In the end, just under 50,000 bottles are put on the market under the name Gatinois. Typical of the Grand Cru sites in Ay is the Gatinois assemblage. If it is not exactly a Blanc de Blancs, the blend is dominated by Pinot Noir, which gives the Champagnes volume, depth and finesse. A small percentage of Chardonnay provides additional fruit and, above all, freshness. But the most important thing for the Gatinois family is that each cuvée represents its own personality, in which the terroir of Champagne is also adequately expressed.
For this reason, the family is also a member of the winegrowers' association "Les-mains-du-terroir", which has taken up the cause for the provenance of the sparkling wines of Champagne.
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