The Gatinois family has been growing Pinot Noir in the Grand Cru Village of Aÿ (Vallée de Marne) since the 1600s. Aÿ is a very special village that boasts some of the most famous houses in Champagne – including Bollinger, Billecart-Salmon, Gosset and Deutz. At the same time, it also is known for some of the best grower-producers, including Goutorbe, Geoffroy, and, of course, Champagne Gatinois. It is a town that was known for its sparkling wine as far back as the Middle Ages, and it was Henry IV who called himself ‘his majesty of Aÿ and Gonesse, the Lord of good wine and good bread”.

Louis Gatinois is the twelfth generation in this vigneron family. He was a successful geologist before taking over the Domaine in 2010, a métier that has served him well in tending to the soils and subsoils their very special terroir. He oversees seven hectares (6ha of Pinot Noir and 1ha of Chardonnay) of family-owned, old-vine vineyards. Traditionally, he sells a portion of his grapes to some of the Grande Marques, specifically Bollinger. However, with every passing year he keeps more fruit for his own label as word about the incredible value of these wines grows. Currently, they produce 3,300 cases of wine each year.

Most of their Pinot comes from a massale selection clone known as “Le Petit Pinot d’ Aÿ”, which originated in and is unique to Aÿ. It is a small-yielding clone with tiny berries, and is considered amongst the finest in all of Champagne. It produces a finer, more complex, and longer-lived wine.

Pierre Cheval-Gatinois, Louis’ father, was a staunch traditionalist who often spoke out against using new oak in the fermentation and elevage of Champagne, believing it can hide the nuance of the fruit. Gatinois wants their Champagne to be a true reflection of their outstanding terroir, and feel stainless steel is the best way to do that. Pierre also chaired the Champagne Landscapes Commission which led to their listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

All work in the vineyards is done by hand to guarantee the highest quality of the grapes, as if it were their garden. They do stringent sorting in the vineyard at harvest. Only the fruit from the best and oldest parcels in the heart of the of the appellation are kept for the Domaine wines.

For fermentation, they vinify the musts in small vats. The wines are racked several times and then bottled in the spring after harvest. The wines are riddled by hand for the years that they are on their lees in bottle. Dosage is kept to a minimum, never more than 7g/l.

Gatinois Grand Cru Tradition Brut 750ml
80% Pinot Noir (mainly from Petit Pinot d’Aÿ) and 20% Chardonnay from their Grand Cru vineyards in Aÿ. The subsoil here is mainly limestone. The base is 2020 vintage with 30% reserve wine from 2018 and 2019 vintages. The wines go through full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is aged sur lies for at least two years. 7gr/liter of dosage. 2000 cases a year produced.

Gatinois Grand Cru Rose 750ml
90% Pinot Noir (mainly from Petit Pinot d’Aÿ) and 10% Chardonnay from their Grand Cru vineyards in Aÿ. The subsoil here is mainly limestone. The wine is made assemblage style by adding a bit of still red wine from 60-year-old Pinot Noir. The base is 2020 vintage with some reserve wine. The wines go through full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is aged sur lies for three years. 6gr/liter of dosage.