Gremillet

Gremillet is a family estate in Balnot-sur-Laignes in the Aube, in the south of the Côte des Bar. The village lies close to Les Riceys and about 45 kilometres from Troyes. Jean-Michel Gremillet, previously an employee of the energy company EDF, founded the estate with his wife Arlette at the end of 1978. The trigger was a first parcel of vines handed over to him by his mother. The website gives 1979 as the founding year. He launched his own brand, J.M. Gremillet, in 1984. Today the children run the business: Jean-Christophe as cellar master, Anne for marketing and communications. The five stars in the logo stand for five members of the family.

Vineyards and style

From a few parcels, the vineyards have grown to cover Balnot-sur-Laignes, Les Riceys, Bar-sur-Aube and Loches-sur-Ource. Figures for the area vary between 40 and 50 hectares depending on the source; the website itself says 50. The soils are Kimmeridgian clay and limestone, as in neighbouring Burgundy. Pinot Noir clearly dominates, at 85 to 91 per cent depending on the source. According to the portal oenotourisme.com, the blends come exclusively from the first pressing and age for two to four years. Anne Gremillet describes the style as fresh, easy to approach and festive. The range includes a Dosage Zéro, which the website describes as floral and lively, with notes of dried fruit and hazelnut. Around 500,000 bottles are produced each year, about 60 per cent of them for export. According to the house, 50 embassies and consulates around the world choose its champagne.

“Jean-Michel Gremillet, previously an employee of the energy company EDF, founded the estate with his wife Arlette at the end of 1978.

Clos Rocher and arboretum

A particular feature is the Clos Rocher, a walled vineyard, a rarity in Champagne. Its 1.4 hectares are planted with Pinot Noir and face south and south-east. The family put the plot together through exchanges and purchases. The first harvest was in 2013. The clos owes its name to an ancestor who set a stone in a house in the village in 1855. The arboretum holds 82 trees, one for each country Gremillet exports to.

Champagner Dégorgement à la Glace

Visit and tasting

The tour leads from the Clos Rocher with its cadole through the arboretum and into the cellar. There, the press house, the tanks and the workshops for disgorgement and dressing the bottles are explained. A small museum of the vine and wine follows, then a tasting of three cuvées in the showroom with a view over the vineyards. The house also offers tastings without a visit, a gastronomic formula with a cold meal, and the chance to experience a night harvest. You can even book an overnight stay among the vines. For group visits and overnight stays, it is advisable to reserve in advance via the website.