Alfred Gratien : Blanc de Blancs Grand cru 2018

A Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne from Alfred Gratien, combining richness and balance

The estate

Founded in 1864 in Épernay, the Champagne House Alfred Gratien belongs to Henkell Freixenet, part of the Oetker group. Henkell took control of it in the early 2000s. A négociant producing approximately 300,000 bottles a year, it owns a small vineyard of around 1.6 hectares and relies on partner growers. Since 1905, the role of cellar master has been passed down within the Jaeger family. Nicolas Jaeger, the fourth generation, has held this position since 2007. The House is distinguished by the vinification of all its base wines in oak and by the absence of malolactic fermentation.

The vineyard

Paradis Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018 is made exclusively from Chardonnay sourced from Champagne villages classified as Grand Cru, a legal status tied to the origin of the grapes. These chalk terroirs are located in the Côte des Blancs. The House sources a large part of its grapes from partner growers established in villages classified as Premier and Grand Cru.

Vinification and ageing

This Blanc de Blancs is a vintage cuvée that expresses a single year, with no reserve wines. Like all the wines of the Alfred Gratien House, it is vinified in oak: alcoholic fermentation takes place in small oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation is not carried out, which preserves the freshness and acidity of the Chardonnay. The House's vintage cuvées are then aged for a long time on lees in bottle, for six to thirteen years according to the Revue du vin de France.

Grape variety

Paradis Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018 Alfred Gratien is 100% Chardonnay.