Review - Vouette et Sorbée
Rien de chimique. zéro synthétique, que de la vie! The Vouette et Sorbée slogan pretty much sums up what they’re about: nothing chemical, zero synthetics, only life.
Their name is built up from two vines: Vouette and Sorbée, both located on a hill just behind the V&S domaine. That domaine, in turn, is located in the Aube in Côte des Bars, a place known for its forward-thinking champagne rockstars.
And oh, a rockstar he is: Bertrand Gautherot, the man who once ruled luxury lipstick and transformed into a biodynamic champagne pioneer.
Yes, you read that right.
The people
Vouette et Sorbée is the creation of Bertrand Gautherot and his wife Hélène. In the early nineties, Bertrand left the luxury make up industry and took over a big part of the family vineyards. At the time, the domaine sold all of their grapes and didn’t make champagne itself. It was the nineties, the era of chemicals and mass production.
Fortunately, Bertrand had a dream. Inspired by his close friends Jérôme Prévost and Pierre Larmandier, he started exploring biodynamic winemaking methods in other regions. Together, they visited vineyards in the Loire, Alsace, Burgundy, and, closer to home, those of biodynamic champagne pioneer Jean-Pierre Fleury.
They realised biodynamic champagne wasn’t a pie in the skie - it could be done!
Back in Champagne, Bertrand started converting the family vineyards to biodynamic methods. Then, in the early 2000s, he started making champagne himself, supported by champagne God Anselme Selosse. It was the start of the Vouette et Sorbée we know today.
The domaine
The Vouette et Sorbée domaine encompasses 5 hectares of Pinot Noir-dominated vines that have an average age of 35 years. The domaine is located in the Aube, which is the most southern part of the Champagne region. This makes them closer to neighbouring wine region Burgundy, or to be more specific: Chablis, that shares the same layers of Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone. These similarities explain why Bertrand decided to also plant Chardonnay vines (taken from the aforementioned Chablis) that today brings forth several blanc des blancs such as the popular Blanc d’Argile.
In terms of the wine making process, Bertrand is obsessed with the soil and subsoils beneath his vines. He uses biodynamic preparations and the compost of his two cows to nurture them, and during the production process indigenous yeasts are used to start up the first fermentation process. All of the Vouette et Sorbée champages are brut nature.
Fidèle Blanc de Noirs
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both Vouette et Sorbée | 100% Pinot Noir | Citrus, high in minerality | Extra brut | 8/10 |
Saignée de Sorbée
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top part of the Sorbée vineyard | 100% Pinot Noir | Roses and red fruits, minerality | Extra brut | 8.5/10 |
Blanc d’Argile
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Briaunes | 100% Chardonnay | Herbal, ripe fruits and hints of toast | Extra brut | 8.5/10 |
Textures
| Location | Grape varieties | Spicy detail | Dosage | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lieu Dit | 100% Pinot Blanc | Fresh and acidic, not for the faint-hearted! | Extra brut | 8/10 |