I remember years ago when we first suggested pairing Champagne with fried chicken. We received a string of skeptical emails from customers asking: Can Champagne stand up to the dish? It absolutely can, and today’s “Cuvée Gastronome” from Pierre Gimonnet is a prime example.
I have no problem stating for the record that Champagne with fried chicken is one of the finest—if not the most glamorous—pairings on earth. When you find a rich, rounded style laced with minerality and brilliant levels of acidity, there is no equal. Today’s offer further enhances this pairing by bottling at a lower atmospheric pressure (ATM). Whereas most Champagne hovers around six ATM, Gimonnet bottles at four, producing a softer mousse while allowing a more lush mouthfeel. The mindset here is to allow the purity of fruit and terroir to speak first and foremost. Sure, bubbles give Champagne its fame, but it’s also important to note that mediocre Champagne can mask impurities behind a clever wall of carbonation. Not so—never so—with Pierre Gimonnet. This family-owned grower has been farming vines in the famed Côte des Blancs for nearly 270 years and bottling their very own wine since 1935. You’re not only tasting the craftsmanship that comes with their deep history, but also the finest Chardonnay terroir in Champagne; “Cuvée Gastronome” is mostly Grand Cru fruit, without a grand price. Buy a case of this and you’ll find it acts as a chameleon for countless dishes while evolving wonderfully for many years to come. But if you really just want to drink it as a standalone, I suppose that’s fine too.
Today, Didier and Olivier Gimonnet, grandsons of Pierre, are responsible for 28 hectares throughout a handful of villages in the northern Côte des Blancs. Quality Champagne has been leaving their cellars for more than 80 years now, but vines have been grown by the Gimonnet family since 1750. What they strive for here is nothing but pure, rich, and refined expressions of Chardonnay from impressively old vines—the large majority exceed 40 years of age, though their most prized parcels date back to 1911. Didier says this about his winemaking style: “I prefer harmony to intensity.” And while he definitely hits the marker with Cuvée Gastronome,” you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the wine’s charming richness.
The 2012 “Cuvée Gastronome” (their current release) is a blend of grapes from four villages—three Grand Crus and one Premier Cru—in the northern Côte des Blancs: 50% Chouilly, 21% Cuis, 16% Cramant, and 13% Oger. The soils throughout here are a mixture of chalk and clay. Their parcels in Chouilly range from 55-65 years old and the two parcels in Cramant (“Buissons” and “Fond du Bâteau”) are where their 100+-year-old vines are located. All grapes (100% Chardonnay) are hand-picked and sent to the winery in small crates. After both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel vats, the wine is transferred into bottle for its second fermentation. It then ages sur latte (on its side) on its lees for four years before being disgorged and dosed with a light six grams of sugar.
In the glass, it displays a bright yellow core with golden hues that lead out to silver reflections along the rim. The nose is warm and inviting, wrapping you up in layers of ripe quince, yellow apple skin, Anjou pear, honeycomb, chalk, toasted brioche, almond, crushed oyster shell, and hints of smoke. It’s a suave wine that finds a way to exude elegance while strutting a tightrope. You’ll notice the effervescence doesn’t rush onto the scene, rather, it takes a relaxed stroll across your palate. It’s a medium-plus bodied Champagne with a well-rounded style that greets you with ripe yellow fruits and immense minerality. The subtle waves of acidity keep this fresh and lively, but as noted above, there’s ample creamy richness to tackle you-know-what. The attached link is one of my favorite fried chicken recipes; after completing the in-depth walk-through, you’ll feel like a true Michelin star chef. I urge you, now more than ever, to try this harmonious match; I’ve always held it close, but “Cuvée Gastronome” sets it over the top. Serve around 50-55 degrees in all-purpose white stems and enjoy—I surely will. Cheers!
