Champagne Gatinois Aÿ Grand Cru Brut Tradition NV
Champagne Gatinois is a historic family domaine rooted in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, with a winemaking heritage that stretches back more than three centuries. The family’s story begins with the marriage of Nicolas Le Cacheur and Françoise Remy in 1696, marking twelve generations of viticulture on the celebrated slopes of Aÿ. The Gatinois name itself appeared on the bottles in 1921, when their descendant Marie married Charles Gatinois. Since then, the domaine has remained firmly in family hands, with Louis Cheval taking over in 2010 and continuing the family’s long tradition.
Today, Gatinois is a grower-producer focused exclusively on expressing the character of Aÿ Grand Cru. Its vineyards are dominated by old-vine Pinot Noir, complemented by Chardonnay, and include some of the village’s most distinguished parcels. The wines are made with a deliberately traditional, hands-on approach, from meticulous vineyard work and hand harvesting to careful vinification and extended cellar aging. The result is a distinctive house style built around the power and structure of Aÿ Pinot Noir, balanced by the freshness of Chardonnay—Champagnes that combine depth, generosity and elegance while remaining true to their remarkable terroir.
Champagne Gatinois’ Brut Tradition Grand Cru is a very good introduction to the house because it captures the character of both Gatinois and its home village, Aÿ Grand Cru. It is a non-vintage Champagne made entirely from estate-grown fruit, with an 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay blend. The dominant Pinot Noir gives the wine its hallmark richness, structure and vinosity, while Chardonnay provides freshness and lift. About 30% reserve wines are included in the blend, and the wine spends a minimum of two years aging on the lees before disgorgement. It is finished with a relatively restrained 7 g/L dosage, helping preserve the wine's freshness while allowing the ripe fruit and substantial texture to show.
In the glass, the Brut Tradition tends toward a deep golden color with subtle copper reflections, already suggesting that this is a more substantial style of Champagne. The nose begins with pear and lime blossom, followed by increasingly rich, Pinot Noir-driven aromas. On the palate it is fresh at first, then round, generous and vinous, with ripe
fruit giving way to toast and subtle nutty notes. The finish has the chalky freshness associated with Aÿ, which keeps the wine from feeling heavy. One recent professional assessment described it as a powerful, resonant Champagne in which the textural richness of Aÿcomes through particularly clearly.
