Gaspard Brochet “La Pie” Chardonnay, Tome VI Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is a single-vintage, single-parcel Champagne from 100% Chardonnay grown in Écueil Premier Cru in the Petite Montagne de Reims. “Tome VI” means it is the sixth release of this cuvée; the 2023 base gives it a precise, saline, and quietly powerful Blanc de Blancs profile.
Producer and vineyard
Gaspard Brochet is a young grower based in Écueil, working with small, individually farmed parcels and releasing wines with minimal intervention. His wines are generally single-plot and single-vintage, with the “Tome” designation indicating the release number of each cuvée.
La Pie comes from old Chardonnay in Écueil Premier Cru, including Les Prés Mousseux, planted in 1989, on clay-limestone soils in the Petite Montagne de Reims. The wine is made from the 2023 harvest.
Winemaking and style
Grape: 100% Chardonnay.
Base vintage: 2023.
Dosage: Extra Brut, around 1 g/L.
Vinification: slow pressing, natural settling, direct barrel filling, and gravity-based fermentation.
Aging: long fermentation, around seven months, in well-seasoned 228-liter French oak barrels, with gentle early bâtonnage and natural malolactic fermentation; aged under veil without topping up, then extended lees aging in bottle.
Filtration: unfined, unfiltered, and not racked.
Tasting profile
Appearance: Pale gold with a fine, persistent mousse.
Nose: White flowers, citrus zest, orchard fruit, and subtle toasted and saline notes from barrel and lees.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, and precise, with high acidity, a chalky mineral spine, and a creamy yet restrained texture.
Finish: Long, savory, and saline, with citrus, stone fruit, and a clean, mineral-driven close.
Drinking window and food pairing
Best enjoyed now through the next 8–10 years, with the structure and acidity to develop further in a cool cellar.
Serve at 10–12°C with oysters, shellfish, lobster, white fish, roast chicken, or dishes with mushrooms and cream.
