WTN: Gerbais NV Extra Brut

Pierre Gerbais NV Champagne Extra Brut, Réserve, Celles-sur-Ource. Disgorged February 2015. 50% Pinot Noir, 25% each Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. New producer to me, recommended by a local shop. $46. Nice, vivid combination of lemon, golden delicious, and yeast at first, slight mineral backbone, showing more cherry as it warms. Nothing spectacular, but very good (though not a bargain) and food-friendly: I fried up some artichokes from the farmer's market, which did the wine no favors, but it held up, and went well with ravioli filled with homemade ricotta and English pea purée, dressed with shaved pecorino, a few drops of tradizionale, and Lungarotti EVOO. I really don't know much about Pinot Blanc-based Champagnes, and Gerbais apparently also does a 100% PB wine, which I'd be interested to try.

Good note, thanks. I first ran into the Gerbais wines a couple years ago. Most of the ones I've had were Extra Brut or Brut Nature, but none were austere as some producers low dosage wines are. Not a bargain, but not expensive by grower Champagne standards.

Yeah, I tend to shy away from zero dosage wines, but this certainly wasn't even approaching that degree of austerity. Maybe location has something to do with it, I guess Celles-sur-Ource is as far to the south as you can get in Champagne? Anyhow, yes, good stuff, and I'll try some of his other wines too, I think this shop carries them regularly.