93+ John Gilman - View from the Cellar

"The 2005 Gatinois vintage-dated bottling is an outstanding bottle of wine in the making, but it is young and fully deserves several years of cellaring to allow its secondary layers of complexity to emerge completely. The excellent bouquet wafts from the glass in a melange of apple, tangerine, smoky tones, fresh-baked bread, a touch of white cherry and an exceptional base of minerality. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and still very youthful, with a rock solid core of fruit, impeccable focus and balance, ripe, snappy acids, elegant mousse and a very, very long finish of great grip and vibrancy. Just a terrific and very young example of the 2005 vintage. 2015-2040." 93+ points - John Gillman - View from the Cellar

"The 2005 Brut Grand Cru Vintage impresses for its textural depth and richness. Pears, hazelnuts and sweet spices flesh out beautifully on this open, inviting Champagne. The textured fruit flows through effortlessly to the round, resonant finish. Early notes of development in the bouquet add character and personality. This is a beautifully balanced wine from Gatinois. The 2005 is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, both from Ay. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017.

Gatinois is an excellent source for flavorful, delicious wines from Ay, a grand cru village that stands apart for the superb quality of its Pinot Noir. All of these wines were vinified and aged in stainless steel, with full malolactic fermentation." 91 Points- Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate

"Vivid yellow-gold. Aromas of fresh pear, quince and redcurrant, with complicating herb and rose nuances. Bright and focused on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering bitter blood orange and pear skin flavors and a spicy kick of white pepper on the back end. Finishes dry and precise, with lingering herb and citrus qualities." 91 Points- Josh Raynolds - International Wine Cellar

"Backed by fresh, integrated acidity, whole-grain toast, sun-dried black cherry, date and sultana flavors mix with a pastry hint and notes of spice. Lightly creamy and refined in texture. Drink now through 2015. 417 cases made."–AN 90 Points Wine Spectator

WINERY:
"The boutique Champagne house of Gatinois is located in the lovely village of Äy, in the Vallée de Marne. The town of Äy is probably best-known as the home of such famous Grandes Marques as Bollinger, Gosset and Deutz, but it also boasts some of the best small grower-récoltant producers as well, foremost amongst them Champagne Gatinois. Äy is one of the most important villages in all of Champagne, as it vineyards are all ranked as grand cru and it is considered one of the very top sources for pinot noir in the Champagne region."

"The current head of the house is Pierre Cheval-Gatinois, who has been at the helm of this lovely house since the early 1980s, and oversees just over seven hectares of vineyards that the family owns in Äy. For many years the family primarily made its living as grape growers, with much of its production earmarked each year to be sold to Bollinger. Monsieur Cheval-Gatinois continues to sell of about half of his crop to the Grande Marques, including Bollinger, to this day, but with each passing year he is bottling more of his production on his own. Pierre Cheval-Gatinois is very much the Champenois traditionalist (with his family dating back eleven generations as vignerons in the region), and has spoken out repeatedly about the potential pitfalls of using new oak in the fermentation and elevage of Champagne, which has been gaining adherents amongst several of his fellow grower-récoltants in the region." -Importer