Founded in 1584, Gosset is the oldest winemaking House in the Champagne region. Production remained fairly low-key until 1994, when the House was sold to the family owned Renaud-Cointreau Group. This takeover saw an increased level of investment improve their vineyard management and fostered a doubling of Gosset's annual production to nearly one million bottles in just fourteen years. Owning just a few vineyards, Gosset purchase nearly all of the grapes required for production. After sixteen generations in the famous village of Aÿ, the winery has only recently moved to a larger and new plot in Épernay.

Gosset Grand Millesime Brut 2012 is a low dosage (extra brut) blend that spends 5 years ageing in the cellars. The wine has been vinified and aged on lees with malolactic fermentation avoided, as per Gosset’s house style.

Weather: The 2012 weather has been hallmarked by many as very challenging but has created some stunning Champagne. Relatively low yields due to various weather conditions throughout the year. The winter months brought some frosts and hail which damaged the early stages of bud burst. August and September were very warm and this helped rescue and give the grapes a stunning maturity.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru | Chardonnay: Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Trépail, Vertus | Pinot Noir: Ambonnay, Avenay, Aÿ, Chignyles-Roses, Louvois
Grape Varieties: 61% Chardonnay, 39% Pinot Noir
Lees ageing: 5 years
Dosage: 6 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030

Tasting Note: A wonderfully fresh and expressive first impression reveals pear and peach which develops into notes of grapefruit, aniseed and liquorice. The finely poised, full-bodied palate remains incredibly light, with every sip revealing notes of damson and Mirabelle plum followed by orange and pink grapefruit. Sustained by a bold liveliness, the wine finishes satisfyingly with just a hint of salinity.

Founded in 1584, Gosset is the oldest House in the Champagne region. Production remained fairly low-key until 1994, when the House was sold to the family owned Renaud-Cointreau Group. This takeover saw an increased level of investment improve their vineyard management and fostered a doubling of Gosset's annual production to nearly one million bottles in just fourteen years. Production was accelerated by the return to the beautiful old-fashioned bottles identical to the ones used by Jean Gosset in the 18th century. After sixteen generations in the famous village of Aÿ, the winery has only recently moved to Épernay and the modern ex-Malakoff cellars.

Owning just a few vineyards, Gosset purchase nearly all of the grapes required for production. The character of Aÿ has a strong influence on the House style, however the true identity of Gosset lies in the blocking of malolactic fermentation. A natural process where malic acid is converted to lactic acid, this can allow champagnes that don't tend to have fresher acidity to be more delicate and fruit-driven. Preventing this process gives the winemaking team at Gosset the chance to showcase the bright fruitiness and brisk acidity when the grapes are ripe and the quality is high - a hallmark of the House style.

Cellar Master: Odilon de Varine
Winery Location: Épernay | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Blancs
Annual Production (bottles): 1,000,000