Their Story: Pierre Gimonnet et Fils has been rated by Robert Parker as "outstanding" and one of the top 15 producers in Champagne.
One of the great grower families of the Côtes de Blancs, the Gimonnets produce what are probably called the bluest of blue chip Chardonnay Champagnes.
The brothers Olivier and Didier start with distinct advantages. In Cuis since the 1700s, the family has amassed an important estate of 25 hectares in splendid sites, with 100+ year old vines in the grand crus of Cremant and Chouilly. These are bolstered by their vineyards in Cuis, a premier cru notorious for its searing acidity, but one that is supremely elegant the ultimate Champagne accolade: "restrained exuberance."
Gimonnet is the poster child for the Côte des Blancs and an advocate of purity, sharp relief, and pronounced minerality combines with near weightlessness, a set of virtues probably uniquely possible in the best sites of this celebrated sub region.
Olivier and Didier's Champagnes are served at The French Laundry among other exceptional restaurants.
Region: Côtes des Blancs
Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay, 2% Pinot Noir
Villages & Soil Types: Cramant Grand Cru, Chouilly Grand Cru, Oger Grand Cru, Ay Grand Cru, Mareuil sur Ay 1er Cru (chalk), Cuis 1er Cru (chalk & clay)
A Champagne to Discover:
The Vineyard Area: 25 hectares
Quantity produced annually: 20,800 cases
"Let me be your personal chef de cave. Sit back, relax, and I'll choose for you."