At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Region
- Champagne, France
- Vineyard focus
- Côte des Blancs holdings and Grand Cru villages
- Main grape
- Chardonnay, with Pinot Noir also present
- Range
- Vintage, rosé and Special Club sparkling wines
- Distinctive parcels
- Le Fond du Bateau and Buisson in Cramant
The Producer
Chardonnay accounts for 99% of the estate's vineyard plantings, with Pinot Noir making up the remaining 1%. The house holds 28 hectares across the Côte des Blancs and Grand Cru villages. Seventy percent of the holdings are over 30 years old, and 40% are more than 40 years old.
Annual production is about 250,000 bottles. The family has grown grapes in Cuis since 1750. The vineyard foundation came in 1925, and estate Champagne bottling began in 1935. Pierre-Guillaume and Arnaud have recently joined the estate as fourth generation members.
Place
The estate's holdings extend through the Côte des Blancs and include Grand Cru vineyards. Cramant contains the named parcels Le Fond du Bateau and Buisson, historic Chardonnay plantings within the house's vineyard holdings.
Grand Cru and Premier Cru are Champagne vineyard classifications. Grand Cru is the highest level and Premier Cru the level below it. Both terms appear in the names of the house's bottles and signal vineyard status on the label.
Wines
The range includes Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron 2019, Pierre Gimonnet Rosé de Blancs Premier Cru, Pierre Gimonnet Special Club Chouilly Grand Cru 2015, and Pierre Gimonnet Special Club Oger Grand Cru 2015. Fleuron is the 2019 vintage bottle. Rosé de Blancs supplies the rosé style, while the two Special Club wines carry Chouilly and Oger Grand Cru names.
Rosé de Blancs is made from 93.5% Chardonnay and 6.5% Pinot Noir. The range joins a rosé built from both estate grapes with vintage wines named for Grand Cru villages.
In The Glass
Rosé de Blancs opens with redcurrant, wild berry and blood orange, followed by herbal and toasted notes. The palate brings fleshy nectarine, stone fruit and raspberry.
Special Club Chouilly Grand Cru 2015 shows pronounced chalk and mineral character through a persistent finish. Special Club Cramant 2015 brings tarragon nuance, herbal finishes and jade pearl rice aromas.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Pierre Gimonnet Rosé de Blancs Premier Cru. It spends 20+ months on lees and carries 5 g/L dosage. Lees are the yeast sediment left after fermentation, and extended contact can add texture and soften the mousse. Dosage is the sugar added after disgorgement. This bottle places rosé colour, grape proportions, lees time and dosage in one cuvée.
Final Word
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils joins Chardonnay led vineyards and historic Cramant parcels with bottles carrying Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyard classifications.
Sources
- www.clubtresorsdechampagne.com/en/membres/champagne-pierre-gimonnet-et-fils
- wineanorak.com/2019/12/18/in-champagne-pierre-gimonnet-et-fils
- www.skurnik.com/producer/pierre-gimonnet-fils
- worldoffinewine.com/homepage-featured-articles/champagne-pierre-gimonnet-et-fils-terry-theise
- www.skurnik.com/sku/champagne-rose-brut-rose-de-blancs-p-gimonnet-et-fils