Vouette & Sorbée - Champagne 'Blanc d'Argile' Extra Brut NV (Magnum)

Located in the Côte des Bar, Bertrand’s estate is named after two of his lieu-dits: Vouette & Sorbée. Unlike the vineyards in the north of Champagne with their fine chalky soils, the Côte des Bar is more like Chablis – dense, rocky, Kimmeridgian, and Portlandian limestone clay soils. Historically Pinot Noir was the dominant variety in this region, but Bertrand has been slowly expanding his plantings of Chardonnay. He farms about 5 hectares of vines, divided among 6 lieux-dits, with five of them located near his hometown of Buxières and one in the neighboring village of Ville-sur-Acre. If asked, Bertrand will say that he is a farmer first and foremost, and in addition to vines, he raises chickens and cattle and operates a nearly self-sustaining enclosed ecosystem. Blanc d'Argile comes mainly from a small parcel of Chardonnay in Briaunes supplemented with scattered plantings of Chardonnay in Bertrand’s other lieux-dits. Small in volume now, it will increase when the young vines in Vo