Tasting Notes
Extrait takes its name from the French for extract, which is exactly what this is—a barrel’s worth of wine extracted from a single vintage. In fact, this is a blend drawn from the Domaine’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay barrels with the composition following the percentage of each variety harvested that year. So, while it generally comes in at around 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the final blend depends on the harvest (for example, the 2005 was 70% Pinot Noir).
Furthermore, the terroirs that supply this cuvée are not set in stone; Gautherot simply selects his favourite parcels by taste (although the Chardonnay almost always comes from Biaunes and the Pinot Noir often comes from the Portlandian Sorbée vineyard). The wine spends between eight and nine years on lees before being disgorged by hand. A super wine that, like all Vouette et Sorbée cuvées, really comes into its own at the table with food. - Importer Note
The Aube Valley in southern Champagne is the least well-known region of Champagne. It barely features on wine maps of the region! This is mainly due to it's isolation from the rest of Champagne. In fact, the southern parts of the Aube, like the Cotes des Bar, are closer to Chablis in location, climate and soil structure than Epernay (the heart of Champagne).Vouette et Sorbee's tiny 5.5 hectare estate is located in the Cotes des Bar of the Aube in Champagne. The soils here are dominated by Kimmeridgian limestone and the climate is a lot sunnier than the north of Champagne giving wines of depth, breadth and length. They are powerful and unique expressions that need to be considered, so please allow them to open up and serve in a regular wine glass, not a flute. - Chris L
Product Type | Wine Sparkling Champagne |
Volume | 750ml |
Country | France |
Region | Champagne |
Sub Region | Aube |
Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |