Japanese Gropings On Subway

VDMA

A few days of Eve, the bubbles are out. It's time for a little getaway in the Dawn, the other countries of Champagne. And Helen Bertrand Gautherot to raise the same passion with their children and their vineyards. True to their convictions. True, period.

In the arms of sorbed.

long it took to fight for tracking down a bottle of Vouet-and-sorbed. 10,000 bowling good years ... The house was soon dry. Now, with the construction of a new cellar, buried under the hill of Bar-sur-Aube, Gautherot can see (slightly) greater. But the spirit remains the same: here, we first used the regulars. Those who supported the approach of the first vintages.

That morning, Bertrand Gautherot, sparkling eyes and ever cap screwed onto the skull, just waiting for one of the pillars of the club, the cellar Japanese Hideaki Kito, one of the first to have fallen in love with his wines.

"I always wanted to grapes, says this son of the vintner. But my father took his time to pass me by hand. So I made a detour to the luxury industry ... You will not believe it, but I was designer lipstick cases elastomer. I was working chemists and I was selling cosmetics ...".

Far from his base and his convictions, sure. When finally her father passes the baton, so he shoots back without any regret at universe of luxury. We are 93. him the "bio bio" will finally be able to support her ideas, natural size. His credo is simple but radical: we must change everything, turn back the industry and finally make a Champagne true to his nature:

"I came from a world where everything is fake. Made. I say " Wait! It is in Champagne, the world champion of fertilizers and pesticides per hectare ... And they say they sell the beautiful? Good? It does not stick ... It is dishonest ". That's how I changed. I stopped all treatment. I wanted to make the vine to the Earth and to accept what she would"

Year after year, and Helene Bertrand upset local custom. First, the grapes are organic to the cooperative. Then buy cows and dream aloud of comeback of the horse in the vineyards . Animals provide the compost. Soon, they move to nettle tea to fortify the plants and Bertrand, who constantly tinkers new gear, is developing a craft to spray mist of silica and copper in the vineyard. Nothing but natural. A homeopathic dose.

"And time! Lot of time spent at the vineyard ... says he. Bio-dynamics is not an end in itself ... It is a way. The purpose c ' is to do good and never stop doing the truth. ... Above all, do not cheat "

99, new twist. On advice, Anselm Selosse , one of the stars of the vintage, the Gautherot the leap: they decided to make wine their grapes themselves. In 2001, the first vintage of Vouet-and-sorbed (the house bears the names of the two lieudits grow where most of the vines). The first batch is called "Faithful." Then come "White Clay" and "Bleeding of sorbed.

Nothing but the extra crude, of course. No way to sweeten the wine. Nor does it necessary in any case, give rise to bubbles. No question of adding the famous expedition liqueur ... There also above, Bertrand is a purist:

"Actually it's the same thing, he says. At the end, before putting the cap, most producers" correct "wine. It said they "dosent". We do it with a drink that will give a sweet taste, a taste of home. But I think it's the terroir, the taste of home ... So I thought of wines almost fresh. If we let live is really a generous wine! great generation ... "

And that is how, in a decade, Bertrand and Helen were able to conquer their world. Cellarmen passionate, high tables ... And Japan of Mr. Kito. Again this year, this account will have its regular bottle. leaves "to rattle the importer of record," jokes Helen . Question of Loyalty. Whereupon, it was understood, the House was not joking.

About Gautherot, you can also read "As a kid" , "Vaillant Champagne" and "to Pegasus vineyards " , not to mention" nettle teas and other tales.