I've just got back from a few days in Champagne, where, I have to tell you, it was delightfully hot and sunny. I've come back with lots of news and stories for all of you who are interested in champagne.
One thing that did catch my eye was an encouraging story about Champagne Gosset which clearly hasn't heard about, or is ignoring, all the gloom about champagne sales being poor this year. Good for them, I say! Rather than cutting back and lying low, Champagne Gosset has splashed out on a fabulous birthday present for itself.
By way of background, let me explain that Gosset is the oldest wine merchant in Champagne, which is almost, but not quite, the same as saying that it is the oldest champagne house.
In fact, it's Ruinart, founded in 1729, that holds the accolade of being the oldest champagne house.
Gosset was founded in 1584 by Pierre Gosset who was a vinegrower and also mayor of the town of Aÿ, but there are no records that his company traded in anything but still wine until well after 1729. So Gosset calls itself the oldest wine house in Champagne: ' La Plus Ancienne Maison de Vins de la Champagne' rather than Ruinart that calls itself 'La Plus Ancienne Maison de Champagne' - a subtle but important difference.
Anyway, if you're good at maths, you'll immediately have spotted that 2009 is the 425th anniversary of Gosset; a landmark worthy of a special present. So, Gosset has just bought a sumptuous new property in Epernay which they will use partly as offices, partly as a production and storage site ( there are 5 kilometres of cellars under the property), and partly as a hospitality residence to receive visitors: there are 2 hectares of magnificent grounds and gardens around the property.
This may sound like an extravagant birthday present, but in fact it makes good commercial sense. Gosset, which since 1993 has been owned by the Cointreau family, has been slowly building its reputation and sales to the extent that it is outgrowing its existing premises at Aÿ.
Sales of Gosset champagnes stand at about 1.3 million bottles per year and since the average ageing period for their champagnes is high: 4 years, Gosset needs space to store 5 million bottles + of champagne. They had to find somewhere to do this and in buying the new property they not only gained the much-needed cellar space, but also the magnificent mansion too.
The mansion is called the Château Malakoff and used to be owned by Laurent-Perrier. The château has changed hands several times in the past few decades and there's a whole story to tell you about this, but it will have to wait for another blog. Anyway, I suspect that the name will be changed when Gosset moves in.
Meanwhile, the harvest (vendange) approaches. The recent good weather will be very welcome indeed and may well rescue a crop that for many weeks and months has seemed doomed to be only mediocre. I'll keep you posted.
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I'd love to hear from you
Jiles
On a wet and gloomy Friday afternoon here in the UK it's so nice to get Jiles' Blog to cheer me up...
Makes me want to crack open a bottle and sit on the patio enjoying some bubbles myself - but as I'd need my winter woolies on it spoils the scene.
Perhaps over the weekend???
Keep up the good work Jiles.
John :)
Posted by: John Sturrock | 08/22/2009 at 12:40 AM