Vouette & Sorbée

History of Champagne Vouette & Sorbée

The story of Vouette & Sorbée is one of a return to roots, blending a passion for the land with a break from convention. It all begins in 1986, when Bertrand Gautherot, then a young man from a mixed farming family, takes over the reins of the family vines in Buxières-sur-Arce. After a professional experience in Paris in the world of luxury, where he designs products for houses such as Chanel or Dior, Bertrand returns home in 1993, determined to transform his paternal inheritance. At the time, the estate still delivers its grapes to a cooperative, but Bertrand is disappointed by the bland expression of the resulting cuvées. Fascinated by pedology and the living world, he dreams of wines that "taste of the earth".

It is in 1998 that the turning point occurs: under Bertrand's impetus, the estate switches entirely to organic farming, then to biodynamics, obtaining the Demeter certification. This pioneering choice, inspired by figures such as Anselme Selosse, Jérôme Prévost and Pierre Larmandier, makes Vouette & Sorbée a trailblazer in Champagne. The soils, once treated chemically, come back to life: the roots of the vines plunge deep, capturing calcareous minerals for increased vitality. In 2001, encouraged by Selosse, Bertrand vinifies his first cuvée, the Fidèle, from that year's difficult vintage. The first bottles are released in 2004, marking the official birth of the estate.

Since then, Hélène Gautherot, Bertrand's partner, and their daughter Héloïse have been actively involved in the venture. Héloïse even experiments with new directions, such as the coteaux champenois. The estate, named after the iconic lieu-dits of Vouette and Sorbée, grows modestly: from selling grapes to artisanal production, it becomes a benchmark for the Aube. Recognised by experts such as Peter Liem or Richard Juhlin, who ranks it among the rare 4-star estates outside the Marne, Vouette & Sorbée challenges the festive image of champagne to make it a wine of pleasure, terroir and patience. Today, these biodynamic champagnes attract enthusiasts from around the world, from starred restaurants to private cellars, proving that quality takes precedence over quantity.

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne Vouette & Sorbée

Terroir is the soul of Vouette & Sorbée, a geological gem that distinguishes the Côte des Bar from the chalky chalk pits of the Marne. Located halfway between Épernay and Dijon, just north-east of Chablis, the estate spans 5 hectares of steep slopes, formed 145 to 161 million years ago during the Upper Jurassic. These soils, marked by epeirogenic movements, uplifts and subsidences of the Earth's crust, have seen alternating seas and emergences, forging unique facies: Kimmeridgian marls rich in oyster fossils (Exogyra Virgula) for 3/4 of the plots, and hard Portland limestone for the remaining quarter.

The lieu-dit Vouette, just behind Bertrand's house, is a south-facing slope, transitioning from Kimmeridgian at the bottom to Portland at the top. Once planted with Pinot Noir, it was partially replanted with Chardonnay after 2014, to better express its Chablis-like proximity, with identical pedology, climate, fauna and flora. Sorbée, at the top of the hill, is a slightly south-west-facing plateau, pure Portland, with Pinot Noir vines aged 30 to 45 years, from Burgundian selections of the 1950s. Biaunes (or Briaunes), the largest plot at 2 hectares, west-facing and cool despite the afternoon sun, mixes Kimmeridgian and Portland; its younger vines, predominantly Pinot Noir with a touch of Chardonnay, ripen late thanks to exceptional moisture retention.

Other plots complete the puzzle: Tirmy (west-facing, Pinot Noir over 30 years old, formerly wooded until the 1960s), Chatel (in Ville-sur-Arce, rocky and dry, sun-drenched Pinot Noir), and Fonnet (warmer, source of the Pinot Blanc for Textures). The average age of the vines is 35 years, with a planting density that encourages root verticality. The proximity to Chablis, 60 km to the south-east, justifies the evolution towards more Chardonnay: these clay-limestone soils, with a large internal surface area, store unique trace elements, conferring on the wines a poignant salinity and minerality. As biodynamics demands, the estate integrates cows, chickens and fruit trees for maximum biodiversity, enriching the soil with calcium carbonate through slow runoff.

Vinifications of Champagne Vouette & Sorbée

Winemaking at Vouette & Sorbée is a minimalist art, guided by gravity and respect for the fruit, aiming for total terroir transparency. It all begins with manual harvesting spread over three weeks, adapted to the ripeness of each plot — a rare luxury in Champagne. The bunches, carefully sorted, are pressed in a traditional vertical wooden coquard press, without pumping: the juices flow naturally, preserving purity and balance. Static settling in tanks, then descent by gravity into 400-litre barrels (Burgundian pieces), Georgian amphorae or neutral barrels of up to 8 years old.

Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations start spontaneously thanks to the indigenous yeasts from the bloom on the berries, without chaptalization (except in extremely rare cases such as 2001). A hint of SO2 is added at harvest, then nothing: no filtration, fining, acidification, decolouration or cold stabilisation. Ageing in wood lasts several months, encouraging subtle oxygenation and fine lees for a complex texture. The second fermentation uses an organic tirage liqueur or natural sugars (as with Sobre), with vintage yeasts. The bottles rest on laths for 18 to 24 months, then manual disgorgement on the fly, without gyropalette or freezing, followed by zero dosage for a pure Brut Nature.

This approach, inherited from the advice of Italian and Croatian friends for the macerations, and from a solera system for 5% of reserve wines, produces champagnes vinified like great still wines, with fine bubbles as a bonus. Patience and attentiveness guide every step: "Listening, doubt, and life as daily companions", as Fabrice Gautherot puts it. The result? Wines of rare vitality, where natural winemaking amplifies the terroir without masking it. 

The cuvées of Champagne Vouette & Sorbée

The cuvées of Vouette & Sorbée are faithful portraits of their plots, pure expressions where Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc dialogue with Jurassic soils. Produced in confidential quantities, they come in Brut Nature style, without a vintage but with disgorgement dates and base vintage for traceability.

Fidèle Extra Brut

The heart of the estate, this 100% Pinot Noir blanc de noirs comes from the plots of Sorbée, Tirmy, Biaunes, Chatel and Fonnet (Kimmeridgian and Portland soils, 40-year-old vines, north-east facing at 250m). Crafted with 5% solera, it offers intense vinous flavours: dried cherry, wild herbs, and the clean calcareous sensations of a pure Kimmeridgian. Powerful and muscular, it evokes a great effervescent Burgundian Pinot Noir, with a lively acidity and a saline finish.

Blanc d'Argile Extra Brut

An ode to Chardonnay, this blanc de blancs was born in 2004 on the cool Biaunes plot (2 ha, Kimmeridgian clay-limestone KM3, 25-year-old vines, cool west-facing exposure). Aromas of green pear, citrus fruits and white flowers; an intense, mineral and precise palate, like a great Chablis. Silky texture.

Saignée de Sorbée Extra Brut

Iconic infusion rosé since 2003, 100% Pinot Noir (pure Portland stone, 30-year-old vines). Long carbonic maceration, early bleeding for a deep colour; vinified in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts. Floral hibiscus tisane, strawberry, white pepper and complex red fruits, framing acidity and ferrous notes from the fine-layered clay soil. Powerful and fleshy, it rivals great red Burgundies. Limited production (two picking passes, not always vintage-dated).

Textures Extra Brut

Experimental cuvée since 2013, 100% Pinot Blanc from Fonnet (warm Kimmeridgian). Skin maceration for 10 months in a buried Georgian amphora and barrel, with skins, seeds and pulp to boost its native discretion. Aromas of orange peel, green pear; velvety, mineral and structured mouthfeel, integrated bubbles. Inspired by a fraternal heritage and Italian/Croatian advice, this is a unique orange Champagne. Confidential production. 

Extrait Extra Brut

Extremely rare (200 bottles), Pinot Noir (with occasional touches of Chardonnay), aged on lees for an astonishing complexity. Initially a family production, available since 2005. Depth and terroir in a bottle. 

Sobre

Experimental (200 bottles), 100% Chardonnay without tirage liqueur, secondary fermentation through natural sugars. Vibrant, textured, fresh like the still-memorable 2008. Reserved for connoisseurs.

These cuvées, all aged in wood, embody the philosophy: fidelity to terroir and patience.

Born from a Chablis-like terroir in Champagne, these cuvées offer a refined alternative to standardised productions, ideal for elevating your meals or enriching your cellar. Would you like to purchase a bottle of Champagne Vouette et Sorbée? Discover our selection of wines from the estate as well as other terroir champagnes such as Egly Ouriet, Larmandier Bernier, Agrapart, Laherte, Dehours, Ruppert Leroy, Françoise Bedel, R. Pouillon, Eric Rodez, Chartogne Taillet, Selosse.... Vins & Millésimes invites you to purchase online the finest bottles and magnums of wines and grand crus. All our wines are in stock and available for fast delivery! Discover the cuvées of Champagne Henri Giraud available to purchase!