Champagne Gaston Chiquet 2008 Or Premier Cru Brut 750ml

A bold vintage Champagne: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Representative of the terroir from which it is produced. Pale golden hue, fine mousse. Expressive nose of glazed or dried fruit, quince paste and honey. Ample palate evoking the nose, aromatic finish. Considerable length.

Terroir: Vineyards around the villages of Hautvillers, Dizy and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.
Soil: Clay and limestone on belemnite quadrata chalk. This chalk variety radiates solar heat, maximizes drainage of excess water and retains humidity in summer. It stores the principal minerals that give the grapes their high ester content.
Vines: Average age: 27 years. 8,300 to 10,000 vines by hectare, pruned according to “Chablis” and “Cordon de Royat” methods.
Harvest: Grapes harvested by hand in September, transported in vented crates. Hydraulic presses of 4,000 kg.
Vinification: By parcel. Static settling 15 to 20 hours. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, tartaric stabilization in small-volume, temperature controlled tanks during 4 to 7 months following harvest. Aged on lees a minimum of 5 years. 
Alcohol content: 12,5% vol.
Dosage: 8 g/l.

--Winemaker