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

Heavenly precision from Chigny-les-Roses. A Champagne crafted with such intent it feels like liquid perfection. 'Les Ruelles' by Arnaud and Sophie Gounel-Lassalle is an exceptionally rare Premier Cru Champagne sourced from a historic single parcel in Chigny-les-Roses, located on the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Vinified with masterly precision in wooden foudres and oak casks, this cuvée offers layered complexity where fresh notes of anise and menthol merge with ripe fruit, warm spices, and chalky salinity.

In the glass, it displays a bright, deep golden color with a fine, lively bead. The nose opens intriguingly with notes of menthol, anise, lemon and lime zest, and mineral drive. Upon aeration, complex layers of quince, white peach, fresh almond, white and black pepper, licorice, and blond tobacco unfold. On the palate, it is round, rich, generous, and remarkably refreshing. A minty lift transitions into notes of brioche, chamomile, and salted caramel, driving into a fleshy finish of extraordinary length.

Key Highlights

• Terroir: Exclusive Premier Cru sourced from the single plot Les Ruelles in Chigny-les-Roses (Montagne de Reims), planted on clay topsoil mixed with deep chalk bedrock.
• Winemaking & Ageing: Fermented and aged in wooden foudres and small oak barrels. Manual bâtonnage performed three times to enhance texture, body, and structure. Bottled zero dosage (0 g/L, Brut Nature / Extra Brut).
• Sustainability: Under official organic conversion, farmed with an uncompromising focus on soil health, biodiversity, and terroir authenticity.
• Tasting Profile: Complex, refreshing, fleshy, and mineral-driven. Notes of anise, menthol, citrus zest, quince, white peach, fresh almond, soft spice, blond tobacco, brioche, and chalk.
• Ageing Potential: A monumental ageworthy Champagne with vast cellaring potential; possesses the core focus to evolve gracefully over 8 to 15 years.

Food Pairing

• Gastronomy & Seafood: Sublime alongside seared scallops with beurre noisette, roasted langoustines, poached lobster, or turbot in truffle reduction.
• Poultry & Veal: Pairs wonderfully with roasted guinea fowl with morels, seared veal medallions with sage, or duck breast with subtle spicing.
• Contemplative Pour: An extraordinary standalone Champagne meant for quiet contemplation — each sip tells a new story.
• Serving Suggestion: Best served between 9°C and 11°C in slender tulip glasses or generous white wine crystal glasses to allow its aromatic range to open.

The Terroir of Les Ruelles

Les Ruelles perches on the favored slopes of Chigny-les-Roses, one of only 44 Premier Cru villages in the Champagne region. The subsoil pairs a nutrient-rich clay layer with solid chalk bedrock (craie). This distinct terroir absorbs solar warmth during the day while providing natural drainage, granting the grapes a balance of fruit maturity and signature mentholated salinity.

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 scientific precision. Combining parcel-specific vinification, traditional oak maturation across varied cask sizes, and organic viticulture, Gounel-Lassalle produces authentic, characterful grower Champagnes.