I'll Drink to That! #238:
Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette et Sorbée
Vouette et Sorbée Saignée de Sorbée (2010)
"Uncompromisingly original" -Peter Liem
A few things become clear in the I'll Drink To That! interview with Vouette et Sorbée's Bertrand Gautherot: he's not interested in stream-lined, conventional wines; he's obsessed with biodynamic farming (something that got him booted from the local co-op) and is simply a dedicated and free-thinking winemaker.
You can check out the interview either on iTunes or visit illdrinktothatpod.com for more listening options.
The results cast Champagne in a radical new light. Think of Burgundy by way of Champagne. This is a matter of terroir as well. The domaine is only 60 kilometers from Chablis and shares its Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils.
At the urging of his friend, none other than Anselme Selosse, Gautherot started bottling his own wines and (almost overnight) became a cult sensation. These are Champagnes that leave a deep and lasting impression. "Uncompromisingly original" is a pithy, but spot-on way of summing it up.
Today, we're happy to offer Vouette et Sorbée's most unique wine, the 2010 Saignée de Sorbée, at special pricing for I'll Drink to That! listeners. The regular price is $92.95, but we've discounted it to $89.95 for listeners of the podcast.
To receive the special pricing, please use the IDTTFORME promotion code. You can purchase online, over the phone or by replying to this email.
Saignée de Sorbée is an all Pinot, single vineyard rosé that sees carbonic maceration and stem inclusion. It's sourced from the Sorbée vineyard that sits on Portlandian limestone. The vines are from Volnay cuttings that Gautherot's grandfather brought to the domaine and used to make still red wine for the family. The details of the making of this wine mirror some of the complexity of the finished product, something that the interview fleshes out. I should make this much clear, though: There's nothing in Champagne like Saignée de Sorbée.
The 2010 vintage in Champagne is too varied to fit into a nice one-sentence summary. For now, we should just say that the Aube, particularly Pinot Noir in the Aube, is one of 2010's biggest successes.
2010 is a vintage where the most dedicated growers really distanced themselves from the pack. Anyone who has visited Gautherot has mentioned how beautifully the vineyards are maintained. When you hear him talk during the interview, it's obvious that his heart is in the vineyard.
Gautherot's hard work in the vineyard certainly paid off in 2010. It shows in the clarity of fruit and mineral and the general sense of poise in the 2010 Saignée de Sorbée. There's a combination of floral notes and spice-tinged fruit, game and minerals.
Heartfelt is one of the first things that comes to mind when I taste a Vouette et Sorbée. They are singular and complex. For us, the Saignée de Sorbée is a wine that you have to experience at least once.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits