New Stocks. Price £72.50. Introduction: This is the first Blanc de Noirs in the house’s history. Initially created as an experiment, Grand Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut NV is based on the 2007 vintage was created by Chef de Cave Odilon de Varine’s using some of his favourite crus. The blend includes the Grand Crus of Ambonnay, Aÿ, Verzy and Premier Crus of Chigny les Roses, Tauxières, Avenay and aged for nine years on lees before disgorgement.   This limited edition cuvée is a tribute to the finesse and elegance of Pinot Noir used in our other GOSSET wines. A unique experience that we wanted to share with aficionados and supporters of the House. Odilon de Varine, Champagne GOSSET Cellar Master   Tasting Notes: With its elegant gold-flecked appearance and its extremely fine mousse, the Grand Blanc de Noirs charms from the outset. 100% Pinot Noir (from Ambonnay, Ay, Verzy, Chigny-Les-Roses and Tauxieres) this highly elegant cuvée exhibits a nose of white fruit, hints of patisserie, along with a touch of white peach and baked apple.   The palate is supple and balanced revealing notes of honey, beeswax and confit citron, followed by a fresh, lively finish with a salty, almost iodine, tang. A perfect balance between the intensity of the aromas and the wine’s finesse allows the fruity structure of the pinots to fully express itself with surprising lightness and freshness.   Assemblage: 100% Pinot Noir Extra-Brut (5 g/l sugar) Aged 9 years on lees Only 12,000 bottles produced   Pairing with Food: With a low dosage, this prestige cuvée should be enjoyed in the company of a goat’s cheese such as Valençay, Langoustines roasted with sweet spices and black sesame or, more exotically, with a Bresse Chicken glazed Chinese-style.     Background Information: Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne established in Ay in 1584 and is owned by the Cointreau family. The Cointreaus also own Gosset’s sister company, Cognac Frapin, and Jean Pierre is currently C.E.O of both companies. They bought Gosset in 1993 when Albert Gosset of the original Gosset family died. The Cointreaus hold strong the belief that Gosset is a family run business and maintain the hands on approach that was started by the original Gosset family.   Situated in the tiny Grand Cru village of Aÿ, 5 kilometres north of Epernay, Gosset has some rather famous neighbours, including Bollinger. However, production is much below that of the larger houses and would struggle to reach the number of bottles produced by Krug in a year. Yearly production has now reached almost 1.3 million bottles. All Gosset champagnes are ‘recently disgorged’ and the house does not undertake malolactic fermentation. This preserves acidity which in turn keeps the wine fresh for much longer. Bottles are removed from one part of the cellar to another every six months, and given a vigorous shake in the process. This reinvigorates any live yeast and is only carried out by a few houses.   The Gosset style is very creamy, dry but not acidic, full, biscuity and yeasty. All the cuvees have good bottle age. The champagnes are excellent by themselves or with food.