Gosset is one of the great names of Champagne. The oldest champagne house with a history dating back to 1584, its wines are renowned for their elegance, beauty, and ability to age gracefully. Champagne Gosset is the champagne of the connoisseur. Its wines are made without compromise or sway to the whims of fashion. Their award-winning range is composed of a selection of unique wines that are sought-after and praised the world over. MWH Wine is proud to announce that we are now stocking a range of Gosset’s exquisite wines, including the Grand Millesime (vintage), the Gosset Celebris and the Gosset Celebris Rose (vintage) and the Gosset 12 ANS DE CAVE.
To celebrate the arrival of these new additions to MWH Wine’s champagne portfolio, we’ve created this guide to Champagne Gosset. In it, we’ll look at the history of the world’s oldest champagne house, tell you about the house’s style and give you our must-taste recommendations.
Champagne Gosset: A little history
Gosset was founded in 1584 by Pierre Gosset. Pierre produced still red wines from his own vines in Aÿ. Aÿ lies in the commune of Aÿ-Champagne and is one of only 17 villages to be rated as Grand Cru quality and is famed for its exceptional Pinot Noir. It was not until the 18th century, however, that sparkling wines began to be made here. These were based on Pinot Noir and Pinot remains central to many of Gosset’s finest wines. Under the stewardship of 16 generations of the same family, Gosset’s style has been refined but it remains true to the heritage it proudly bears.
Champagne Gosset: Made without compromise
While based in a beautiful winery in the village of Aÿ, Gosset draws grapes from across the Champagne region. Grapes are selected from plots in over 140 hectares of vines. Having such privileged access to so many fine sites – ‘climats’ – allows Gosset to maintain their inimitable style of wine year in, year out. It also allows them to make small quantities of vintage wines that reflect their winemaking style, the vineyard’s terroir, and the character of the year in which they were grown. For many, Gosset’s vintage wines – particularly Celebris – are the ultimate expression of vintage champagne; wines that offer a balance of delicacy and power that is utterly beguiling.
One of the most notable things about Gosset’s wines is that they are made without recourse to malolactic fermentation, or ‘malo’ as it’s sometimes called. Malolactic fermentation is a bacterial fermentation that converts firmer malic acid into softer lactic acid. It’s almost universally used in Champagne and gives wines a gentler flavour and a richer mouthfeel when young. The downside is that it dulls the natural fruitiness of the wine and significantly reduces its ability to age and develop. It is for these reasons that Gosset avoid malolactic fermentation. Gosset is focused on creating the finest, most authentic wines they can. There can be no compromise.
When you taste Gosset Champagne, especially in its youth, you’ll likely be struck by its power, intensity and purity. They can be reminiscent of a fine Alsatian Riesling in their directness, but there’s an underlying richness, generosity and complexity that becomes more apparent with time in the bottle and the glass.
Champagne Gosset: The wines and selected tasting notes
Perhaps more than any other house, Gosset’s house style is immediately recognisable. The exceptional quality fruit, the uncompromising way they are produced, and the extended bottle age they receive before release leave a distinct hallmark on all Gosset’s champagnes. That said, every wine is different, has its own character, and enthrals in its own way. Their range is extensive and the talented and ambitious winemaking team led by Odilon de Varine and Gabrielle Malagu are always looking for innovative ways to express Gosset’s traditional style. Alongside the ever-popular Gosset Grande Reserve Brut are a delicious Blanc de Blancs, the sublime Gosset Grand Rosé, and the extra-aged Cuvée 12 Ans de Cave - a Minima.
Below is a selection of tasting notes from our own experiences and those of leading wine critics.
Gosset Grande Reserve Brut
‘Beautiful light gold. Intense fruity nose displaying a blend of beautifully mature red and white fruits. Fresh, persistent assertive fruit characters show on the palate. The texture is silky and great harmony is sustained throughout.’ 90/100, Gilbert & Gaillard
Gosset Grand Rosé
‘Gosset's pink is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, 8% of the Pinot vinified as red wine. The wine does not go through malolactic conversion, and is aged a minimum of three years on the lees. Interesting factoid: Cellarmaster Odilon de Varine prefers to blend it in black glassware, so he is not influenced by colour, but by taste and aroma alone. The nose has a lovely pillow of biscuit and custardy creaminess, but there's keen, small red berry fruit too. The mousse is mouth-filling, and this is immediately dry and crisp with 8g/l dosage, shimmering with elegant, lemony, almost minty fresh acidity. The savoury berry fruit is nicely weighted through the mid-palate.’ 93/100 Tom Canavan
Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs Brut
‘Pure white gold with tiny, perfectly regular bubbles rising up to propel a nose of white plums, apples, melon, grapefruit and into the air. Stunningly precise, there’s plenty of freshness, but also honey, soft fruits, minerals, and a touch of zest. The epitome of elegance.’ MWH Wines
Cuvée 12 Ans de Cave - a Minima
Beautiful colour, a burnished hint of gold to the straw yellow, masses of streaming, miniscule bubbles. Absolutely beguiling nose, with the subtle oxidative notes from the 12 years on lees, some toast and custard, but fresh orchard fruits, little greengage and yellow plum notes, and really very multi-layered. The wine tightens up considerably on the palate, immediately citrussy and bright, but with a supple, smooth and rounded texture. There is a definite lick of salty minerals in the finish, further tensioning the picture. Really very lovely, intriguing balance between the open, matured flavours and youthful zest and energy. Odilon thinks it will age extremely well, because of that long contact with the lees. 12,000 bottles produced.’ 94/100, Tom Cannavan
Gosset Grand Millesime Brut 2015
‘The brilliance of the vintage shines in the Gosset Grand Millesime 2015. The powerful, complex bouquet offers citrus, red berries, yeast and a touch of brioche. In the mouth its texture is light and precise yet conveys such a concentration of flavours, it’s a wine of the mind as much as the mouth. Raspberries, pears, lemons, greengages, minerals and honey are all on show, but much more is to come. Brilliant wine.’ MWH Wine
‘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. Drink the wine from 2024. 94/100, Wine Enthusiast, Roger Voss
2008 Gosset Celebris Extra Brut Rose Millesime
‘A Chardonnay-dominated rosé, this Champagne is fruity while also textured. It is a structured wine, full of minerals and still amazingly young. With its freshness almost entirely intact and few signs of maturity, the wine could obviously age further. Drink now, because it is a great wine, alternatively age at least until 2025.‘ 95/100, Wine Enthusiast (Roger Voss)
‘Tasted at Gosset in 2022. Beautifully deep pink, the freshness and vitality of the nose were a surprise and a delight. The palate offers tones of red apple, peach, raspberry, red cherry, and rhubarb with an undercurrent of chalky minerals and a touch of salinity. So young, yet so good.’ MWH Wine
Explore Gosset’s Champagnes on MWH Wine
Champagne Gosset is one of the wine world’s great experiences. They are stylish, brilliantly made, and unique. So why not try Gosset’s wines for yourself? You can explore MWH Wine’s range of Gosset’s wines here.
