Pierre Gimonnet ‘Cuis’ 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne

Winemaker Notes:  Lively, aerial, not measured, technically perfect... This Cuvee Brut sans annee Cuis 1er Cru represents the archetype style of the Pierre Gimonnet & Fils.

One appreciates this classic assembly "without year", a consistent taste, for its vivacity, its lightness, and its fineness: the whole purity of the Great Chardonnays of the Côte des Blancs.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

Wine & Spirits - "From north-facing vineyards in Cuis, this is 2017 chardonnay, enhanced with 27 percent of reserve wines aged in bottles, from the 2010 to 2015 vintages. The pale-white fruit holds mineral freshness in its depths of white-cherry and white-peach flavors. The acidity provides tension and limestone abrasion, while feeling completely integrated into the fruit. It’s a gripping cold-climate chardonnay for meaty game fish."


James Suckling - "This delightful Blanc de Blancs marries excellent depth of character – all the citrus, crisp pear and floral aromas of chardonnay – with charm. Properly dry, but very harmonious, thanks to the excellent balance of citrusy freshness and creaminess. Long, clean finish, accentuated by the lively mousse. Drink now."


Jeb Dunnuck - "This NV Champagne 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuis Brut is expressive, with more classic appeal, though it takes on a light reductive tinge, with flint and wet asphalt aromatics. It has more direct concentration, with fresh green apple underneath, lemon zest, and white blossoms. The palate is more focused and concentrated, with a long finish and a pronounced chalky texture. The palate is long and persistent, with fresh acidity. I think this will mature nicely and take on classic blanc de blancs custard in the future. Best after 2025."


Wine Spectator - "Delivers well-cut acidity married to a minerally overtone and flavors of nectarine, fleur de sel, biscuit and crystallized honey. An elegant blanc de blancs. Disgorged January 2022. Drink now."


Decanter - "100% Chardonnay. Didier Gimonnet’s aspiration for his entry NV is a cuvée with attack on the front, roundness in the middle and crispness on the end. The singular expression of his home village of Cuis, it is softened with reserves of the previous year’s blend, aged in magnums. The result is the quintessential aperitif, and one of the most pristine Champagnes for its price. The north-facing elegance of this village lets fine salt-chalk minerality sing in harmony with crystalline acidity."


Wine Enthusiast - "The wine is soft and rounded although unmistakably from Chardonnay in the chalky Côte des Blancs. Crisp apples have a light creaminess as well as lively acidity. Coming from Premier Cru vineyards, it shows a strongly mineral character that is filled out by the ripe fruitiness."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "I tasted two different versions of Gimonnet's signature NV Cuis 1er Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs earlier this year; both were excellent as usual. The most recent disgorgement from January 2015 is based on the 2011 vintage (+ 22% Réserve wines), and is very pure, lovely, fresh and delicate on the typically intense, chalky/mineral, well balanced and elegant palate. The lighthearted yet quite complex wine was disgorged with a dosage of 6.5 grams per liter. The forerunner, based on 2008 and disgorged in October 2014, was even finer and provided with a very god length."