At A Glance
- Category
- Detail
- Region
- Champagne
- Subregion
- Côte des Bars
- Village
- Gyé-sur-Seine
- Main grapes
- Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Signature wine
- Symbiose
- Defining feature
- Estate grown production with all cellar stages completed on site
The Producer
Every stage of production takes place at Champagne Fluteau, from pressing and vinification through bottling, ageing, riddling, disgorging and labelling. The house works with grapes grown in its own vineyards, and reserve wines rest in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for blending.
Champagne Fluteau is based in Gyé-sur-Seine in the Côte des Bars. Its vineyards are planted mainly with Pinot Noir, alongside Chardonnay. Symbiose receives extended lees ageing and Extra Brut dosage, giving the house one cuvée built around cellar time as much as grape variety.
Place
Gyé-sur-Seine lies in the Côte des Bars, in the Aube region of Champagne. The vineyards run along the Seine River valley, where a cool climate suits Pinot Noir. This grape generally brings fuller fruit and body to sparkling wine, while Chardonnay contributes a lighter citrus profile and freshness.
Soil And Site
The vines grow on slopes with clay soils. Clay can retain moisture around the roots, while a cool climate slows ripening and helps preserve acidity. Pinot Noir from this setting can combine ripe fruit with a fresh finish.
Story
Bernard Fluteau took over the family company in 1970. Thierry Fluteau succeeded him in 1996 and modernized the winery. Jeremy Fluteau joined the family in 2008 after earning an enology degree from Avize and working in California and Michigan. He later took responsibility for producing the Champagne cuvées and developing new ones.
In 2022, Adeline Fluteau and Mathilde Bertillon joined Jeremy. Adeline handles administration, while Mathilde works across communication and trade relations. The family roles now cover production, administration, communication and commercial relationships.
Vineyards And Cellar
Champagne Fluteau uses only grapes from its own vineyards. The grapes are picked by hand and handled carefully so whole clusters reach the press in good condition. The house has held HVE certification since 2017. HVE is an environmental certification for vineyard farming, separate from the cellar method.
Pressing, vinification, bottling, ageing, riddling, disgorging and labelling all happen on site. Reserve wines are stored in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, allowing different reserve wines to be used in blending from year to year.
Wines
The range moves between grape focused cuvées and wines shaped by extended ageing. Blanc de Noirs is a white Champagne made from black grapes, with fresh acidity and a brioche note on the finish. Symbiose receives a minimum of 7 years ageing on lees and is dosed at 4 grams per liter, placing it in the Extra Brut category.
Coeur de Cuvée is made from 100% Pinot Noir. It receives a minimum of 3 years ageing on lees and combines 50% 2021 vintage wine with 50% reserve solera wine. Its dosage is 5 grams per liter.
In The Glass
Symbiose opens with white flowers including acacia, jasmine and lilac, followed by apple and citrus. After aeration, roasted notes appear. The palate carries candied lemon, fresh pineapple and fresh raspberry through a silky texture.
Blanc de Noirs shows a pale gold colour and a bright nose of tangy citrus, white peach and acacia. Fresh acidity carries wild strawberry and crunchy green apple, with brioche on the finish. Another tasting description gives the wine ripe wild cherry, blackberry, ground ginger and candied lemon zest, with lively bead and a light feel.
Coeur de Cuvée shows a sustained golden colour. Its Pinot Noir base and solera component give the cuvée a different cellar profile from Blanc de Noirs and Symbiose.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Symbiose. The cuvée has a minimum of 7 years on lees and a dosage of 4 grams per liter, classified as Extra Brut. Lees are spent yeast cells, and long contact can add texture and developed aromas while low dosage keeps the wine dry.
Symbiose puts the house's cellar work in the foreground. The bottle is built around extended ageing, reserve handling and a dry finish, with all production stages completed at the estate.
Anecdote
In 1935, Emile Hérard and his son in law Georges Fluteau founded Champagne Fluteau in the Côte des Bars. Hérard was a vigneron, while Georges was the son of a wine broker. Their partnership joined two family backgrounds in the Aube region and created the house that still carries the Fluteau name. The founding date remains the starting point for the family's Champagne production.
Final Word
Champagne Fluteau works from its own vineyards in Gyé-sur-Seine and completes every cellar stage on site. Symbiose gives the house its clearest expression of extended lees ageing and dry dosage.
Sources
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/le-champagne-fluteau-english
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/our-story
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/vineyards
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/winery
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/featured_item/symbiose-en
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/produit/symbiose-en
- bbswine.com/product/blanc-de-noirs-brut-2
- www.wisdomandwine.com.au/tasting/fluteau_tasting.htm
- www.champagnefluteau.com/en/featured_item/coeur-de-cuvee-en