Domaine Pierre GERBAIS
Champagne, Celle Sur Ources
Located in Celles-sur-Ource in the Côte des Bar, Domaine Pierre Gerbais has transitioned from a reliable Aube stronghold into one of the most compelling, intellectually rigorous grower-producers in Champagne.
Under the direction of Aurélien Gerbais, who returned to the 18-hectare estate in 2009 after studying in Beaune and honing his craft alongside Olivier Lamy in Saint-Aubin, the domaine has undergone a quiet revolution. Aurélien stands out today as one of the subregion’s most confidence-inspiring and reliable voices, delivering Champagnes that are simultaneously succulent, vibrant, deeply vinous, and precise.
Terroir & Unique Ampelographic Heritage
The estate’s 18 hectares average roughly 40 years of age and are derived entirely from massal selections, divided almost evenly between northerly and southerly expositions on Kimmeridgian soils.
The Pinot Blanc Legacy: Unusually for Champagne, the vineyard varietal split is 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 25% Pinot Blanc. Pierre Gerbais was among the very first in the Aube to bottle Pinot Blanc in isolation, championing Pinot Blanc Vrai long before heritage varieties gained modern popularity.
Pragmatic Viticulture: Half of the family’s holdings have never seen synthetic chemical treatments, having been planted after their abandonment. While vineyard work follows strict organic principles, Aurélien maintains a pragmatic approach—permitting a single treatment against mildew when necessary, openly questioning the long-term environmental impact of heavy copper sulfate applications required by strict organic certification.
Precision Viticulture & The Search for Salinity
Aurélien’s technical approach in both the vineyard and cellar reflects a distinctly Burgundian sensibility:
Rethinking Ripeness: Early in his tenure, Gerbais discovered that late picking compromised the identity of his terroirs, yielding wines that were overly ripe, round, and lacking tension. Today, he targets harvest at 11% to 11.5% potential alcohol, prioritizing pH and phenolic maturity over pure sugar accumulation to preserve racy acidity and authentic mineral salinity.
Meticulous Sorting: While many Champagne houses rely solely on separating press fractions to manage imperfect fruit, Gerbais enforces rigorous hand-sorting at harvest.
Parcel-by-Parcel Micro-Vinification: The estate’s 20 distinct plots are vinified separately in stainless steel using both pneumatic and traditional vertical basket presses.
Targeted Sulfite Management: Sulfites are applied judiciously at pressing and disgorgement, though Pinot Noir is vinified completely without sulfites until disgorgement.
Patience & Low Dosage: The wines mature for three years sur lattes before disgorgement, finished with a precise, low dosage of roughly 2 g/L.
The Evolution: Perpetual Reserves & Single-Vineyard Bottlings
In 2011, Aurélien initiated a network of perpetual reserves (soleras) with a clear vision: to reimagine the domaine’s portfolio around site-specific expressions.
By 2018, he bottled his first single-vineyard (lieu-dit) Champagnes derived from these perpetual reserves, with the full range reaching the market in 2021. This strategic evolution marked the turning point that elevated Pierre Gerbais into the upper echelon of fine Champagne.
Imported exclusively in Hong Kong and Macau by Souveraine Limited and in Mainland China by MUYI
Vins Parcellaires:
Pierre GERBAIS, Beauregard - 100% Pinot Noir
Beauregard is one of the estate's rare, highly sought-after single-parcel (lieu-dit) micro-cuvées, produced in extremely limited quantities (often around 1,300 to 1,400 bottles per release). Sourced entirely from the high-altitude, windy Beauregard single vineyard plot in Celles-sur-Ource. Crafted as a Rosé de Saignée via skin contact / maceration (typically 24 to 48 hours). Built around an ongoing perpetual reserve (solera system) initiated in 2011, providing both freshness from younger base vintages and deep complexity from older reserve wines.Pierre GERBAIS, Bochot - 100% Pinot Meunier
Bochot is one of the most distinctive and surprising single-parcel (lieu-dit) bottlings in the Pierre Gerbais lineup. While the Côte des Bar is dominated by Pinot Noir, Bochot is a rare Blanc de Noirs made entirely from 100% Pinot Meunier—a true curiosity for this southern subregion. Sourced entirely from the Bochot single vineyard in Celles-sur-Ource, featuring a west-facing exposition that captures late-afternoon warmth while preserving lift and energy. Classic Aube Kimmeridgian marl and limestone (clay-limestone), which imparts a signature saline backbone to the normally soft Meunier fruit. Built using a perpetual reserve system (initiated around 2016 specifically for this cuvée), blending base-year fruit with aged reserve wines to build depth and texture without losing fresh acidity.Pierre GERBAIS, Champ Viole - 100% Chardonnay
Champ Viole is widely considered the crown jewel of Pierre Gerbais’s single-parcel (lieu-dit) collection—a pristine 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs) that demonstrates how Burgundian rigor can transform Aube terroir into something laser-focused and mineral-driven. The plot carries a rich history, originally planted by Cistercian monks from Molesme Abbey centuries ago. A steep, south-facing slope in Celles-sur-Ource featuring shallow Kimmeridgian limestone soils. The thin topsoil forces vine roots deep into the marl, while the southern exposure guarantees complete phenolic maturity without sacrificing structural acidity. Planted in 1964 using massal selections, these 60+ year-old vines naturally produce tiny, concentrated grapes with elevated tartaric acid and intense extract. Matures for a minimum of 36 months sur lattes in the cellar. Disgorged with a low Extra Brut dosage (typically 1.5 to 2 g/L) and minimal added sulfites.Pierre GERBAIS, La Loge - 100% Pinot Blanc
La Loge is perhaps the most singular and rare single-parcel bottling in the Pierre Gerbais lineup—a 100% Pinot Blanc (Blanc de Blancs) that serves as a masterclass in reviving Champagne’s lost heritage grape variety. Sourced entirely from the La Loge lieu-dit in Celles-sur-Ource, featuring a south/south-west exposure. Aurélien Gerbais gives it center stage, demonstrating that old-vine Pinot Blanc grown on Kimmeridgian limestone can match Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in longevity and character. Old-vine massal selections that bring natural concentration, low yields, and elevated texture. Like the rest of the lieu-dit range, La Loge is anchored by a perpetual reserve (solera) system initiated in 2011. This continuous reserve builds weight, aromatic complexity, and tertiary nuance while the fresh base vintage preserves energy.Pierre GERBAIS, Les Grandes Cotes - 100% Pinot Noir
Les Grandes Côtes is the Pinot Noir benchmark of Pierre Gerbais’s single-parcel collection—a chiseled Blanc de Noirs that showcases the tension and structure attainable on steep, cool-climate Aube slopes. Unlike many south-facing Aube plots that produce warm, broad Pinot Noir, Les Grandes Côtes is a steep, north-facing slope in Celles-sur-Ource. This cooler microclimate slows ripening, preserving energetic acidity and fine-grained tannins. Extremely thin topsoil over hard Kimmeridgian marl and limestone. The roots are forced to dig directly into the bedrock, imparting a striking mineral drive to the wine.
Vins d’Assemblages:
Pierre GERBAIS, Grains de Celles
50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 25% Pinot Blanc “VRAI”
Grains de Celles is the flagship cuvée and defining signature of Domaine Pierre Gerbais. Designed as a comprehensive portrait of the Celles-sur-Ource terroir, it highlights all three of the estate's primary grape varieties—including its rare Pinot Blanc—in a balanced, highly approachable blend. A multi-plot selection from parcels surrounding Celles-sur-Ource in the Côte des Bar. Kimmeridgian marl and limestone, lending broad texture and a natural saline footprint. Average vine age of roughly 40 years, sourced from massal selections and farmed using organic principles. Fermented and aged exclusively in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks (no oak) to preserve raw fruit purity and site specificity.Pierre GERBAIS, Grains de Celles Rose
Grains de Celles Rosé is the rosé expression of Pierre Gerbais’s flagship estate blend. Rather than making a standard rosé de saignée or pure red-grape blend, Aurélien Gerbais crafts this cuvée using an unusual, highly deliberate rosé d'assemblage technique that incorporates all three primary estate varieties. Composed of the core Grains de Celles white base—50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 25% Pinot Blanc Vrai—sourced from organic, massal-selected vines averaging 40 years of age around Celles-sur-Ource. Enriched with a small addition (typically 8% to 12%) of Coteaux Champenois red wine made from old-vine Pinot Noir. Incorporating Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc into a rosé base maintains elevated lift, aromatic delicacy, and waxy texture, preventing the Pinot Noir red wine from making the palate heavy.
Experimental Wines
Pierre GERBAIS, N.21
Blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc from end of the press
Experimental Batch N°21 (or N.21) is an ultra-rare, experimental micro-cuvée produced by Aurélien Gerbais that directly challenges traditional Champagne conventions around press fractions. N°21 turns this paradigm on its head. Rather than discarding the end of the press (la fin de presse / la taille), Aurélien Gerbais isolated this specific fraction from a co-pressing of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc to explore its aging capacity and textural potential.
Higher phenolic concentration from the grape skins and stems gives N°21 a broader, more vinous, and tactile mouthfeel with gentle phenolic grip.