Gosset

The honour of being considered the oldest of all champagne houses clearly belongs to Gosset

In the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, a document with the number 29867/322 is deposited in the Dossiers Bleus, which proves that a Mr Pierre Gosset not only produced wine from his own vines in his house in the famous Aÿ as early as 1584, but also demonstrably traded in them. The historian Tom Stevenson notes that this date may even be too short, as a certain Jean Gosset was already a winegrower in 1555. However, as no evidence of trade can be found, the official founding date of the house of Gosset shifts to around thirty years later. Pierre Gosset was mayor of the town of Aÿ at the time. In this office, he often welcomed prominent figures such as King Henri IV.

The long and storied history of the King of Wines can be traced back to the Champagne region of the time, where the wine producers of the time, such as Pierre Gosset, were the cornerstone. Although the products of the Gosset house were still wines at the time, they may have represented the same type of excellent Champagne wines that achieved great success somewhat later at the time of the famous Charles Marguetel de Saint Denis, Seigneur de Saint-Evremond, at the English royal court thanks to their natural second fermentation - long before the famous Benedictine monks Dom Perignon and Frere Oudart made a name for themselves in the development of Champagne.
Many sources still cite Ruinart as the oldest champagne house - but this is not entirely correct, as champagne is now historically proven to be the product of a long evolution (rather than 'revolution'). But let's not get hung up on splitting hairs and return to the history of Gosset and the discussion of their very special champagnes:

The house Gosset remained in the family for 15 generations without interruption. In 1984, it celebrated its 400th anniversary with lavish celebrations both at home in Aÿ and in Paris with renowned artists, festive fairs and concerts. A very special Gosset champagne, the Cuvée Quatrième Centenaire, was produced especially for the occasion. In the following decade, however, financial problems became apparent. In 1994, the Gosset house was bought by another well-known family business, Renaud Cointreau. The new manager of the house was a lady named Béatrice Cointreau. The many aficionados around the world who had always adored the strictly traditional Gosset champagne and were now worried about the future under the new management were quickly reassured. The oenologist Béatrice Cointreau herself comes from a family with an age-old winemaking tradition: her mother is the granddaughter of Pierre Frapin (the founder of the world-famous Frapin house in Segonzac, Cognac). She conscientiously continued the tradition-conscious production of champagne at Gosset. She ensured a slim range of attractive champagnes and is still a welcome ambassador for Gosset on the international stage.

Gosset has always had a reputation as a fine but relatively small house compared to famous champagne houses. Before the change of ownership in 1994, Gosset produced 400,000 to 500,000 bottles per year. Gosset had been exporting to a limited extent for centuries (only around 20% of production was shipped to around 15 countries). For example, perfectly corked Gosset champagnes have recently been recovered from the belly of the "William Salthouse", which sank off the coast of Australia in 1841. Germany in particular, where over 100,000 bottles are exported every year, and England have always been the most important export markets for Gosset. However, with the change of ownership came a new marketing strategy. The export director of Gosset, Philippe Manfredini, has been working intensively for over twelve years to increase the export share. Under his leadership, exports now account for 65% of the total annual production of around 1 million bottles. Today, Gosset maintains a complex network of wholesalers and representatives in around 70 countries, which in turn maintains close links, primarily with the catering industry. As a result, champagne fans are most likely to encounter Gosset champagnes wherever there is something delicious to eat. The association with restaurants and Gosset champagnes is an obvious one, as Gosset champagnes have always been flavoured to complement almost any dish. However, before we look at the various Gosset champagnes in detail, let's take a look at what lies behind the elaborate cellar technology:

Chef de Cave, Jean-Pierre Mareignier, has been in charge of the Gosset cellars for over 20 years. He has managed admirably to keep pace with the enormous growth in demand for Gosset champagnes without compromising the house's renowned quality and tradition in the slightest. Gosset still does not use malolactic fermentation (which is common practice at many other champagne houses). Instead, Gosset preserves the natural fruit acids of the vines as an important, traditional component of all its renowned champagnes. Forgoing malolactic fermentation forces the cellar master to strive for perfect balance in the production of his cuvées, giving them extra attention and generous ageing time in his cellars. Many years later, this additional effort pays off for the connoisseur in several ways: Gosset champagnes present themselves with an exceptional freshness and fruit flavour. At the same time, Gosset champagnes are considered to be particularly suitable for ageing. Although all Gosset champagnes are ready to drink on delivery, the additional ageing potential is a welcome bonus for many champagne lovers, as although the basic character of a Gosset champagne does not change, it can develop completely new aspects of its personality with additional ageing, while other aspects recede.

The first fermentation takes place exclusively in stainless steel tanks. Reserve wines are then stored in many magnum bottles in the cool cellars of the winery. In addition, Gosset maintains a small warehouse with around 30 oak barrels (each with a capacity of 205 litres), where Jean-Pierre Mareignier adds the right touch of barrel ageing to certain cuvées that have only been stored for a short time. Although Gosset does not own any vineyards, in the more than 400 years of the company's existence, it has developed first-class and stable relationships with winegrowers in the Champagne region. Jean-Pierre Mareignier therefore has the advantage of being able to reliably secure the best grapes from Grand Crus and Premier Crus in the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and the Marne Valley. The various wines are then later stored in the Gosset cellars, sorted by cru, grape variety and vintage.

In addition, Gosset is known for the special attention it pays to the noble (and expensive) Chardonnay vines in its blends. Gosset insists on an average quality classification of at least 95% for its grapes. In addition, only the must from the first pressing is used.
Jean-Pierre Mareignier then uses this elaborate (and expensive) base to compose the famous Gosset cuvées, which then have to spend an average of five years on the lees in the bottles. At Gosset, particularly high-quality champagnes such as Prestige Cuvées, Millésime, Grand Rosé and Grande Réserve are also bottled in classic (bulbous) champagne bottles.

All vintage champagnes - the famous Grande Réserve, Prestige Cuvée (CELEBRIS), Grand Rosé as well as all other champagnes of the house, which are bottled in bottles larger than a standard bottle (750 ml) - enjoy the attention of traditional hand riddling. Later, a professional dégorgeur takes care of the larger bottles and the prestige cuvées. He skilfully removes the depôt (the fermentation residue of the dead yeast cells that accumulate on the neck of the bottle after riddling) using the carbon dioxide pressure in the bottle. This ancient art of disgorging is known as à la volée (in flight) (see also dégorgement in the lexicon). This is followed by dosage, the final corking, and then additional storage (at least three months, but often up to a year) so that the champagnes can recover from the slight shock of disgorgement. Only then are they delivered.

After going through this elaborate production process, connoisseurs are presented with fresh, fruity, well-balanced champagnes with a rich flavour and a strictly traditional style. With their aromatic complexity, they have always delighted countless champagne fans and renowned wine critics around the world. What's more, Gosset has also managed to appeal to ordinary champagne lovers at reasonable prices.

Let's take a closer look at the different Gosset champagnes:

The most affordable champagne from Gosset is the Brut Excellence. The term 'Excellence' is by no means pretentious, as it clearly stands out in terms of flavour and quality compared to most other non-vintage champagnes. My multiple tasting notes confirm that it clearly inherits elegance, fine acidity and youthful freshness through blending with 42% from the precious Chardonnay grape. A further 45% of the noble Pinot Noir grape give it a pleasant fruitiness. An additional 13% from the down-to-earth Pinot Meunier grape subtly round off this champagne with their flavour. This blend also benefits from 24% of balancing reserve wines. The Gosset Brut Excellence is an excellent choice as an aperitif. It is also an excellent accompaniment to fish and poultry dishes. Incidentally, it is surprisingly affordable in terms of price (around Euro/US$ 35).

The Gosset Grande Réserve plays in a higher league. This champagne cannot really be described as a 'vintageless champagne', as Gosset uses grapes from high-quality crus from three different years in its traditional production. It is therefore more appropriate to describe Gosset Grande Réserve as a multi-vintage champagne. The blend contains 46% Chardonnay, 39% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier. This champagne reflects the fundamental flavours of the Gosset house. The pleasant freshness and pronounced fruity notes of this champagne are probably directly linked to the successful preservation of the natural fruit acids of high-quality vines. It embodies the vinous power of selected Pinot Noir vines and is additionally fuelled by the finesse of Chardonnay. The Gosset Grande Réserve has long been regarded by many connoisseurs as a valuable tip for champagne novices to learn how outstanding the flavour of a traditionally prepared champagne can be. At the same time, the erroneous view among some champagne fans that a vintage champagne must necessarily be "better" than a champagne made from several vintages often changes when savoured. The complexity of this champagne is confirmed by the laudatory but different aromatic descriptions of renowned critics - but they are all right. The reason: this champagne is far too refined for its great aromatic mosaic to be put into words by just one connoisseur. A special champagne like the Gosset Grande Réserve should simply be tasted at least once by every champagne fan.
Of course, the Grande Réserve makes a wonderful aperitif, but with its strength and aromatic beauty, it also impresses with more savoury dishes. For example, it goes perfectly with veal, lamb and duck. The last time I tasted this champagne in its beautiful antique bottle, the price was around Euro/US$ 50.

Gosset is currently presenting the Gosset Grand Millésime 1996. Many renowned connoisseurs are already comparing the 1996 vintage with the legendary 1928 vintage. It takes a good deal of courage to make such a claim, and the future will ultimately prove or disprove it. Be that as it may, 1996 is undoubtedly a very important and unusually good vintage of the last century. The renowned author, historian and critic Tom Stevenson notes that no other vintage in the history of Champagne has been able to combine 10.3% of potential alcohol with 10g of acidity per litre.

The cellar master Jean-Pierre Mareignier paid special tribute to this year's precious Chardonnay grape by allowing it 62% in the assemblage of the 1996. The remaining 38% were provided by the noble Pinot Noir - all from Grands and Premiers Crus. This outstanding champagne should only get better with further ageing.
Committed to traditional production without malolactic fermentation, the cellar master had to give the natural fruit acids plenty of time during storage in order to integrate them even more favourably. There are already plenty of tasting notes on the Gosset Grand Millesime 1996. The common denominators are the typical freshness and fruity nature of Gosset champagnes. As expected, this 96 exudes the floral bouquet of the elegant Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir adds particularly vinous notes. However, it is also noted that it is challenging and fiery, almost like a young racehorse with an excellent pedigree. Whether the 1996 vintage can compete with the legendary 28 among Champagnes remains to be seen after the coming years of additional ageing. Speculatively, the 96 from Jean-Pierre Mareignier and Gosset has very good cards in my opinion, as Gosset's champagnes are characterised by their special ageing potential anyway. Decisions of this kind can be made after ten to 20 years (or even later) for great vintages. As with some wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux or even Cognac brandies, Champagnes from certain Champagne houses often have a high speculative value. Gosset is one of those houses that should be given special attention in this respect.

Gosset has long been known for its classic rosé champagnes. Without exception, they are still regarded today as particularly important champagnes in the rosé league with predominantly Chardonnay in the blend. Gosset is currently presenting the vintage-free Gosset Grande Rosé and the Gosset Celebris Rosé 1998.

The Grande Rosé consists of 56% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and an additional 9% red wine from Bouzy and Ambonnay, which gives it its salmon pink colour. This elegant rosé is known for its complex fruit flavours, subtle power and long finish. It is therefore not surprising that it won the gold medal at the famous international tasting 'London International Wine Challenge' in 2001. It is particularly recommended with more savoury meat dishes (such as game).

The Gosset Celebris Rosé 1998 boasts 61% of elegant Chardonnay grapes from the best vineyards and an additional 32% of fruity Pinot Noir. Added to this is the finest red wine from Bouzy and Ambonnay, which not only determines the strong salmon colour, but also adds precious vinous attributes. It is considered to be an appetising aperitif, but is also recommended with more hearty banquets. It is a beautiful vintage champagne that will certainly be talked about for years to come. Which brings us to a few examples of other Gosset Grand Rosé vintage champagnes from years long gone, which are still very important among connoisseurs today: Both the 88 and the 90 are currently considered excellent after years of ageing. Both still retain their youth and fragrance, but gain additional suppleness in their advanced age. A few years ago, the exquisite 90 in particular was considered outstanding by the renowned wine critic Tom Stevenson, who was beguiled by its exotic floral aromas.

The prestige or top cuvées (white or rosé) from Gosset bear the (often capitalised) name CELEBRIS. No corners are cut in the production of champagnes with this name. This is about absolute superlatives! Only the very best grapes from a Grand Crus vintage are considered good enough. At Gosset, this type of champagne benefits from very special personalised attention by hand at all stages of production. For example, each bottle is traditionally riddled and disgorged. Particularly long storage in the cool cellars of the house is a matter of course. The Celebris rosé champagnes have already been discussed above. Among the (white) Celebris champagnes, three different vintages are currently of particular importance in the champagne world: 88, 90 and 95.

The 88s and 90s, for example, are described by the well-known wine critic Ed McCarthy as two of the finest champagnes he has ever tasted in his long career.
Both champagnes also scored highly with Tom Stevenson in the 90s. Many critics also believe that both champagnes have a great future with further ageing (until 2010, 2015 or even longer). Unfortunately, finding an 88 today is a matter of luck. Fortunately, the equally fantastic Celebris 1990 is still available here and there. The Celebris 1995 is currently in circulation and is already proving to be an outstanding champagne. The blend contains 46% Chardonnay and 54% Pinot Noir. It is considered to be rich with various fruit flavours, perfectly balanced and also endowed with a special fieriness.

All Gosset champagnes are simply a special experience to savour - an experience which, in my opinion, nobody should miss out on in order to familiarise themselves with the 'Gosset style'. The special fruit, freshness and successful balance that Gosset achieves in the elaborate preparation of its champagnes is something you simply have to experience for yourself. Unfortunately, unlike many other champagnes, it is not available on every corner. Unlike some other renowned houses, the honourable fame of Gosset is not reflected in its pricing policy. Fame has never made any champagne taste better anyway, so anyone who encounters Gosset champagnes can look forward not only to indescribable enjoyment, but also to surprisingly fair prices.

 

 

 

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