Clandestin is the story of an inspired partnership—a new dynamic duo showcasing west-facing vineyards of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Champagne’s southerly Aube region. It starts with Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette & Sorbée, who has done as much as anyone to validate the Côte des Bar as a source of exceptionally complex, hand-crafted grower Champagne.
Bernard began tending vines in the village of Buxières-sur-Arce in the mid-1980s, diving deep into biodynamic viticulture to produce some of the most vinous, multi-dimensional sparklers on the planet. The other, indispensable half of Clandestin is Benoit Doussot. Connected by Gautherot’s daughter, who was his classmate, Doussot trained in Burgundy and followed the path of biodynamics. Now, in his mid-20s, Doussot is the “Gautherot” of his generation, driven by an intense passion for the vine and inspired by the “zero-zero” winemaking ethos (nothing added, nothing taken away). Blessed with Gauthenot’s VIP access to prime vineyard real estate, the pair have crafted today’s 100% Pinot Noir “Les Semblables” in the profound, “Burgundy with bubbles” style the Côte des Bar has become justly famous for (see not just Vouette & Sorbée but Marie Courtin and Cédric Bouchard, among others). This is an unforgettable bottle of hand-crafted, vineyard-driven Champagne whose “clandestine” status won’t last long—so take advantage now before the competition intensifies!
A solid two hours south of Épernay, the Aube is closer to Chablis and has similar soils—Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone (versus the Belemnite and Micraster chalks that stack the grand crus of the Marne). Yet while Chardonnay reigns in Chablis, Pinot Noir is the dominant grape of the Aube; it ripens well on those Kimmeridgian marls and is the singular focus of many grower-producers in the region. What makes Clandestin unusual is that it is made from cooler, more finicky west-facing vineyards of Pinot Noir, typically dismissed in favor of the south and east-facing sites which ripen more reliably. As climate change infiltrates, we are starting to see a shift in vine plantings from the warmer aspects to the cooler ones (in the Northern Hemisphere, in certain regions, north-facing vineyards are becoming more popular). Gautherot and Doussot are onto something special, uncovering and restoring the west-facing Pinot Noir sites which match the intensity of the warmer sites, but do so with a more delicate step. These are the vines of the next generation.
Technically a Blanc de Noirs, “Semblables” translates to “The Same,” referring to some of the sites which are the “same” backbone for Vouette & Sorbée. Certified organic by ECOCERT, the Pinot Noir is harvested by hand and pressed in a traditional, vertical Coquard press. Natural yeasts kick-start the fermentation, which takes place in 350- and 500-liter French oak barrels, followed by aging on the lees for 15 months (in the same combination of oak). Bottled without a sugar dosage and very little sulfur, this is deliciously raw and savory Pinot Noir in bubbly form, so put aside the typical flute and opt for a wider glass—an all-purpose white glass, or even a larger Burgundy stem, is much better-suited to the task.
The wine is fruitful with mineral-loaded layers that show better at a warmer temperature so serve the Champagne somewhere around 50 degrees. In the glass a straw core is brilliant with tones of pale rose gold. On the nose, Pinot Noir says hello with dried red florals, pomegranate, and fresh raspberry. The palate is laser-sharp yet ripe, balanced by the fine pearls of Chablis-esque cold, limey stone. Today’s “Les Semblables” is made from 2016 vintage (there are few bottles of the 2015 floating on the market) and will be soaked-up by like-minded, forward-thinking sommeliers. Surely you can age this wine for a decade-plus, but the 2016 vintage is an accessible, Pinot-friendly vintage, just in time for holiday parties, special gifts, or the ultimate Champagne brunch. We often talk about having wine with dinner (makes sense), but with Champagne you can bend the rules, especially with decadent savory-salty open-faced sandwiches, like Chef Suzanne Goin’s ham, egg, and cheese extraordinaire. Throw in a bottle of Clandestin “Les Semblabes,” and your sandwiches will never be the same!
