Within the cold, west-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone-rich lieu-dit of Biaunes, there is a small plot of Chardonnay that Gautherot planted wild—that is, without preparing the soils and among native vegetation (a totally crazy idea). The Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir, but in 2000, Gautherot chose Chardonnay. He used mass-selection cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s vines (in Avize) and Vincent Dauvissat’s Valmur Grand Cru vineyard. This plot has become the base of what Antonio Galloni calls “one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne”. As of 2020, the cuvée also includes fruit from the Fonnet vineyard as well as Vouette itself, which was previously planted to Pinot Noir before replanting to Chardonnay several years ago.
Indigenous yeasts ferment the wine in used 500- and 600-litre barrels, with a small portion fermented and raised in Georgian amphora (see Textures). As with Fidèle, this wine spends roughly 15 to 18 months in bottle on lees before being disgorged by hand with zero dosage. For the record, the Biaunes vines yield only 15 to 20 hl/ha each year, which is key to the depth and mineral intensity on offer. Were it not for bubbles, you could be drinking a great Grand Cru Chablis.