Vouette & Sorbée - Champagne 'Fidèle' Brut Nature NV (Magnum)

While the Aube’s emergence has been very recent, the seeds for its flowering were planted in 1986, when the area’s spiritual father, Vouette & Sorbée’s Bertrand Gautherot, began tending his vines in the village of Buxières-sur-Arce.

Throughout his long career, Gautherot has been, first and foremost, a grower. It says much about him that the first thing he shows visitors is his cows, which he jokingly refers to as “his marketing department.” He keeps them both to cultivate biodiversity and as part of his commitment to natural viticulture.

Bertrand’s dedication to terroir is deep; as he told Peter Liem, “the culture of the vine is my passion.” It led him to biodynamic certification for his domaine in 1998. That so many of today’s leading Aube growers tend their wines naturally is largely due to Gautherot’s example.

Yet, Bertrand ultimately sees these farming methods as a tool and not a religion: “You don’t drink a wine because it’s biodynamic, you drink it because it’s good.” And Gautherot’s are not merely good, but great—these are Champagnes of intense character, deep and complex, with unique aromas and flavors

Gautherot’s five-hectare estate is named after his two primary vineyards: Vouette on Kimmeridgian soil—the fossilized oyster-laden marl that it shares with Chablis—and Sorbée on Portlandian soil, also found in Chablis, further up the slope.

This makes his wines true Champagnes de Terroir, with his Fidèle—named for the faithfulness with which it expresses its places of origin—pure Pinot Noir from Vouette

Fidèle is 100% Pinot Noir mainly from the lieux-dits of Fonnet and Briaunes with additional Pinot from the other parcels Bertrand farms. Fermented in oak, then 20 months sur latte, then finished without any dosage. Deep color, distinct red fruits, forward and lush. Vinous, lively, and dangerously tasty.

"The NV Brut Nature Fidèle (R14) is a Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian soils and is entirely based on the 2014 vintage. Disgorged in October 2017 the oak-fermented wine shows a golden-reddish apricot color and opens with a very delicate, floral and herbal yet intense and vinous bouquet of red fruits, with warm, dry earth and spices and just a hint of oak. Bone dry (of course), fresh and elegant on the palate, this is an impressively delicate and filigreed Champagne to be enjoyed as a still wine rather than a fizz. The finish is long, clear, dry and well-structured (even with fine tannins) and reveals discreet salinity. In fact, Fidèle drinks like a Burgundy-inspired Coteaux Champenois with very fine but not effervescent bubbles, persistent lemon juice and a touch of oaky flavors. Don't use a flute to enjoy this young, gastronomic wine; instead, use a wine glass or one of the rounder, more voluminous Champagne glasses like the Lehmann Jamesse (which stresses the finesse rather than the vinous character). Don't serve the Fidèle too fresh, either, but if you must, wait a bit and don't worry if the wine is suddenly 12 or even 14 degrees Celsius—it's still delicious and even more vinous then! (To be honest, when tasted at 15 or 16 degrees Celsius, I even got some Gewürztraminer notes (lychees) on the nose...!) Tasted in July 2018." - 94 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The amber-colored NV Brut Nature Fidele is gorgeous.  Lifted, precise and nuanced throughout, the Fidele possesses a captivating aromatic.  Medium in body and tense in style, the Fidele is super-expressive today.  It could use another year in bottle to soften a bit, but it is nevertheless striking." - 93 Points, Vinous

Producer: Vouette & Sorbée

Country: France

Region: Champagne

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Appellation: Champagne

Vintage: NV

Size: 1.5L