Founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset, Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. For more than four centuries, the preservation of style, elegance and family traditions in the making of Gosset champagne has been paramount. Champagne Gosset’s reputation for high-quality starts in the vineyard, where they source grapes almost entirely from premier cru and grand cru vineyards. Unlike most champagne producers, Gosset carefully avoids malolactic fermentation and uses extended lees aging to expose the terroir and produce dynamic, age-worthy cuvées. Gosset champagnes are made with extreme care and kept in dark cellars for four to five years for non-vintage wines — and up to seven for vintage champagnes and 10 for the CELEBRIS cuvées — before release.
Founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset, Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. Over the next four centuries, generations of the Gosset family would go on to win fame not only as alderman, mayors and magistrates in Aÿ, but also in growing and trading wines of Champagne. Whatever the period, the men and women of the Gosset family had a single ambition — to improve their terroir.
In 1993, after more than 400 years of family ownership, Champagne Gosset was purchased by the Renaud-Cointreau family, who also owns and manages the highly regarded Cognac Frapin. The Renaud-Cointreaus insist on a continuity of the old-style champagne appropriate to its historic birthplace in Aÿ. While other Champagne houses are handing over the reins to large corporations, the Renaud-Cointreau family understands the importance of preserving the heritage in winemaking that has, over 430 years, made Champagne Gosset the ultimate name in champagne.
In 2009, Champagne Gosset announced the acquisition of a new property in the heart of Epernay, which doubles the cellar space and serves as an extension to its production facilities in Aÿ.
Champagne Gosset’s reputation for quality starts in the vineyard, where it sources grapes almost entirely from premier cru and grand cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs, Grand Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims. These vineyards rate an average of 95 percent on the “échelle des crus,” or “ladder of growths,” — the classification system of the villages in the Champagne region. The top-rated villages are given a score of 100 percent and are called grand crus; currently there are 17 such villages. The next tier has scores ranging from 90 to 99 percent; these are the premier cru villages, of which there are 44. The remaining 296 crus have scores between 80 and 89 percent.
Champagne Gosset has long-term relationships with growers that date back several generations, allowing the winemaking team to direct activity in the vineyards.
Champagne Gosset’s style is based on a philosophy that aims to utilize all the grapes and terroir have to offer and to minimize other inputs. For example, unlike most champagne producers, Gosset carefully avoids malolactic fermentation, thus preserving the malic acid present in the grapes.
Champagne Gosset keeps all grower lots separate until it is time to blend the cuvées and vinification temperatures are managed carefully to preserve delicate aromatics.
During assemblage, all the lots are tasted blind – there are no recipes with Champagne Gosset. Similarly, dosage for each lot is selected during blind trials. Gosset champagnes are made with extreme care and kept in dark cellars for at least three years — and up to seven for vintage champagnes and 10 for the CELEBRIS cuvées — before release. Extended lees aging is another hallmark of Champagne Gosset.
Gosset’s inimitable style — pure, precise, elegant and textured, with remarkable longevity — has changed little over the centuries. Once a favorite of the kings and queens of France, Champagne Gosset remains one of the most illustrious and prestigious producers, considered by many collectors and connoisseurs as the world’s preeminent luxury champagne.
59% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay
An extremely fine and grouped effervescence. The dress is crystalline, luminous, and slightly golden. The nose is fruity, fresh, and tangy. Both greedy and elegant, it expresses pastry notes and aromas of fresh fruit: nougat, frangipane, candied orange, and mirabelle plum. A delicate note of passe-crassane pear carrying a touch of Williams pear liqueur can be guessed. A tonic wine, with a nice tension around the aromas of fresh fruits. Nectarine, yellow peach, and a tangy note of rhubarb develop in the mouth. The end of the mouth is clean, frank, saline, and mineral leaving a touch of bitterness and verbena.
Review:
Having retained all its youthful acidity because there was no malolactic fermentation, the Champagne is brilliantly lit. Acidity and a light texture from the Pinot Noir in the blend give the wine a crisp edge with still-young citrus.
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
A firm, focused version, this swathes a chiseled spine of acidity in a raw, silky texture and finely meshed flavors of yellow peach, orange liqueur, honeycomb and chopped almond. A rich streak of salinity drives the well-cut, spiced finish. Drink now through 2035.
-Wine Spectator 94 Points
The Factor is predominantly from the Gomersal and Marananga sub-regions of the Barossa, providing dense texture and richness to the palate with subtle notes of olive tapenade, saddle leather and minerals. Ripe aromas of plum and wild blackberries, olive, pepper and spice are all supported by a dark core of espresso roast, ripe blackberries and saltbush. Brooding and densely packed, this lavish wine has ample generosity to cellar for many years, where it will slowly unravel.
Review:
This is quintessential Barossa. The red dirt in the ground rises up in the glass and transports me right back there: middle summer, hot, spicy air blowing across the tops of old vines. It's evocative. This 2019 The Factor is Port-y, concentrated and savory as all hell, with charred barrels, lamb fat, black pepper, salted licorice, pomegranate molasses and aniseed. This is about as big as I can cope with and still enjoy it; it takes density and intensity to a whole new level—no surprise for the vintage, the region and the producer. A perfect storm of thunderous strength. Like staring into the abyss . . . a little bit scary, but transfixing nonetheless.
-Wine Advocate 96 Points
Turley Pesenti Zinfandel is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Deeply perfumed and enthralling nose of ripe red fruits, high-toned spices, orange zest, and an almost minty crushed chalk. Palate is smooth, lush, energetic, and pure, with a smack of well-toned acidity, satiating structure, and a long, precise finish.
Reviews:
A briar patch in a glass, this Zin is tightly focused and energetic, with flavors of wild berries, underbrush, espresso and pepper that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
The 2022 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard is a very pretty wine, and also surprisingly delicate for Paso. Medium in body, with terrific nuance, the Pesenti is super-expressive in this vintage. Crushed flowers, blood orange and cedar overtones linger on the aromatic, finessed finish.
-Vinous 92-94 Points