Champagne Premier Cru 'Les Agneaux' Brut Nature (Extra Brut) N.V., Gounel-Lassalle

A sultry summer evening in a bottle. Crafting wine as if from another dimension, Arnaud Gounel works with extraordinary precision, sensitivity, and intent. In the Premier Cru village of Chigny-les-Roses, nestled on the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims, he and his wife Sophie create Champagnes that ignite the imagination. This 100% Pinot Meunier sourced from the single plot Les Agneaux is the epitome of finesse, tension, and unadulterated personality.

In the glass, it displays a rich golden hue with a fine, energetic mousse. The nose opens with a warm, seductive bouquet of spiced apple-cinnamon, quince compote, dried fruit, and subtle toasted oak. On the palate, it is complex, mouth-filling, and crystal clear. Notes of vanilla, crème brûlée, and salted caramel merge with focused mineral acidity. Maturation in oak barrels with bâtonnage imparts structural depth, while the zero-dosage style (0 g/L) ensures precision, length, and elegance.

Key Highlights

• Terroir: 100% Pinot Meunier sourced from the renowned single plot Les Agneaux in Chigny-les-Roses (Premier Cru, Montagne de Reims), planted on clay over deep chalk bedrock.
• Winemaking & Ageing: Barrel-matured in oak casks of varying sizes (10 hl, 4 hl, and 228 L) with three manual bâtonnage sessions to build texture. Full malolactic fermentation (MLF), unfiltered, and bottled zero dosage (0 g/L, Brut Nature / Extra Brut).
• Sustainability: Under official organic conversion, farmed with an uncompromising focus on soil health and terroir authenticity.
• Tasting Profile: Complex, mouth-filling, mineral, and bone-dry. Notes of quince compote, spiced apple, vanilla, crème brûlée, salted caramel, and a long chalky finish.
• Ageing Potential: An extraordinary ageworthy Champagne; captivating now, with the structural focus to cellar gracefully over 6 to 10 years.

Food Pairing

• Gastronomy & Seafood: Sublime alongside pan-seared scallops with beurre noisette, smoked eel on toasted brioche, roasted monkfish, or king crab.
• Poultry & Cheese: Pairs wonderfully with roasted guinea fowl with truffle, seared veal medallions, or mature washed-rind cheeses.
• Dessert: A surprising match for artisan apple crumble served with vanilla foam.
• Serving Suggestion: Best served between 9°C and 11°C in slender tulip glasses or generous white wine crystal glasses to allow its aromatic depth to unpack.

The Terroir of Chigny-les-Roses

Chigny-les-Roses perches on the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims, holding esteemed Premier Cru status. The Les Agneaux parcel sits on the village crest, where a topsoil of clay rests directly over hard chalk bedrock. This distinct terroir offers cool ripening conditions and natural moisture control, endowing Pinot Meunier with generous fruit weight, spiced complexity, and saline mineral drive.

About Champagne Gounel-Lassalle

Arnaud Gounel and Sophie Lassalle represent the fourth generation of winegrowers in Chigny-les-Roses. Managing 29 distinct micro-parcels, they farm their land with deep respect and precision. Combining parcel-specific vinification, traditional oak maturation across varied cask sizes, and organic viticulture, Gounel-Lassalle produces authentic, characterful grower Champagnes.