Pierre Gerbais
| Vigneron | Aurélien Gerbais |
| Location | Celles-sur-Ource (Aube) |
| Size of Domaine | 15ha |
| Terroir | Continental climate. Kimmeridgian and Portlandian clay-limestone soil over hard limestone bedrock. Gentle slopes, up to 20%, various aspects. 180-250m altitude. |
| Viticulture | Soils are ploughed, no herbicide or insecticide, sulphur and copper against mildew/oidium although fungicide might be used in case of extreme pressure. |
| View Pierre Gerbais wines ↓ |
Aurélien Gerbais is the 8th generation to lead his family’s domaine in Celles‑sur‑Ource, with vineyards clustered around this iconic village of the Côte des Bar. The self-assured, yet soft-spoken and humble Aurélien studied in Beaune and staged with Olivier Lamy, whom he calls his 'spiritual father'. After various experiences in France and abroad, he came back to the domaine in 2011 with the intention to build on the previous generations’ achievements and go further in both the vineyards and the wines.
The vineyards of Celles-sur-Ource 
Post-WWII, Aurélien's visionary grandfather kept on buying land when affordable – it is mostly thanks to him that the Gerbais family now owns 15ha on prime terroirs on both banks of the Ource river, including 4ha of the rare pinot blanc 'vrai' (see wines). Aurélien and his father planted half of the surface themselves, recovering top terroirs from fallow land that had never seen any chemicals. The vines now average a high 40yo, with the oldest nearing 100yo! All of them propagated from the domaine’s own massal selections over three generations.
Aurélien observes that old vines tend to adapt better to harsh conditions (such as hot, dry summers). He therefore favours the 'taille' Guyot-Poussard, a non-mutilating pruning method that respects sap flow and prolongs a vine’s life expectancy. On the whole, viticulture is chemical-free – Aurélien mainly uses plant concoctions and the classic 'bouillie bordelaise' as treatments – but in years where mildew pressure is overwhelmingly high, Aurélien might resort to one systemic treatment around flowering to protect the harvest.
Top of the slope in Les Grandes Côtes 
Mid-slope in Les Grandes Côtes next to the Creux d'Enfer As per his friend and neighbour Cédric Bouchard, each parcel is vinified separately with fermentation, as well as ageing, taking place in stainless steel exclusively – the champagnes from both domaines share a pure, expressive fruit quality. Pinot noir is vinified 'sans soufre', while chardonnay and pinot blanc see about 15mg/l at the press and none during the élevage – Aurélien prefers to play with the lees reductive power to protect his wines during ageing – the wines finish with 20 to 30 mg/l total SO2.
Inspired by the concentrating effect of extended ageing in cuvées such as Ganevat’s Les Vignes de Mon Père and Valette’s Clos de Monsieur Noly, all the domaine’s single-vineyard cuvées are now the result of perpetual reserves started in 2011 – Aurélien explains, "I see the 'réserve perpétuelle' as a means to counter the extreme shifts brought by climate change and the best way to showcase a particular terroir over time." Depending on the vintage, the perpetual reserves represent 40 to 60% of the final blend of each single-vineyard cuvée; the still wines are aged 36 months 'sur lattes' before disgorgement, and dosage ranges from 0 to 3g/l – this is decided via blind tastings for each cuvée each year.
The wines have gone from strength to strength since the arrival of Aurélien, gaining in precision, depth, and terroir imprint. His dedication and attention to detail have taken the domaine to the very top of the Aube region, alongside Aurélien’s friends and peers: Cédric Bouchard, Manu Lassaigne, Olivier Horiot, and Héloïse Gautherot of Vouette et Sorbée.
Lieu-dit Beauregard above the woods 
Pierre Gerbais Wines
GRAINS DE CELLES
50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Blanc Vrai
50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Blanc Vrai (12.5% alc.)
A 'vin d’assemblage', this cuvée blends wines from the domaine’s 20 parcels, split evenly between the left and right banks of the Ource river that crosses the village from west to east. From a balanced mix of north-facing and south-facing plots, the 40yo average vines grow on Kimmeridgian (mostly) and Portlandian soils – it offers a complete snapshot of the incredible terroir of Celles-sur-Ource including a significant proportion of the rare and unique pinot blanc 'vrai' (see cuvée La Loge). Aurélien has recently completed the construction of another ageing cellar, allowing him to extend the 'élevage sur lattes' to 36 months as per the single-vineyard cuvées. Of note, there is a rosé version of Grains de Celles made from the addition of 5-10% of still red wine to the blend. Both bottlings represent excellent value for money; they are crowd-pleasers with an unparalleled depth of fruit – the outstanding 'matériel végétal' and remarkably high average age of the vines shine through here. Base 2021 - Disgorged 04/24 - Dosage 3g/l.
LES GRANDES CÔTES
100% Pinot Noir
100% Pinot Noir (12.5% alc.)
The lieu-dit Les Grandes Côtes is a stunning coteau where soils derived from two geological ages can be found: from Portlandian at the top to Kimmeridgian as you travel down the slope. The hard limestone and rocky soils of the Portlandian tend to make structured and austere wines, while the softer limestone and higher clay content of the Kimmeridgian bring finesse and subtlety. The vines were planted in the 1970s across both types of soil on a cool north-facing slope – they produce a complete and complex wine. Based on the 2020 vintage blended with a 2011-2019 perpetual reserve, this is powerful yet chiselled and lifted, with a long savoury finish. Of note, the lieu-dit Creux d’Enfer (of Cédric Bouchard fame) is located on the bottom part of Les Grande Côtes, neighbouring Aurélien’s vines. Disgorged 04/24 - Dosage 3g/l.
CHAMP VIOLE
100% Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay (12.5% alc.)
Champ Viole is an historic plot, singled out by the Cistercian monks back in the day. Ideally located on a south-facing coteau topped by dense woods, the old vines average 50yo and sit on the ubiquitous Kimmeridgian 'argilo-calcaire'. Based on the 2020 vintage blended with a 2011-2019 perpetual reserve, the wine is vinous with a broad palate, silky texture, and well-integrated acidity – this is class and always one of the finest bottlings chez Gerbais. Disgorged 04/24 - Dosage 3g/l.
LA LOGE
100% Pinot Blanc Vrai
100% Pinot Blanc Vrai (12.5% alc.)
La Loge is a singular wine made from 90yo pinot blanc 'vrai' – an ancient local strain of pinot blanc valued by monks for both its quality and late bud-burst (essential in a region that used to suffer frost eight vintages out of ten!). The vines are planted in the lieu-dit La Loge, north of the Ource river on a south-facing slope. Golden in colour, this is rich yet vibrant, with ripe stone fruits and fresh pastry notes. The palate is round, multi-layered and balanced by refreshing bitters. A distinctive and stunning champagne reminiscent of Cédric Bouchard's La Bolorée – a true blast from the past! This is based on the 2020 vintage blended with a 2011-2019 perpetual reserve. Disgorged 04/24 - Dosage 3g/l.
BEAUREGARD
100% Pinot Noir
100% Pinot Noir (12.5% alc.)
This parcel was planted in the late 1960s by Pierre Gerbais, Aurélien’s grandfather, high up a windy north-facing coteau (above Les Grandes Côtes on Portlandian limestone). Upon inspection, the CIVC (Champagne’s regulating body) informed Pierre that the vineyard, surrounded by woods, was unfortunately outside the appellation’s boundaries and had to be uprooted. He somehow managed to convince them otherwise, arguing that the domaine would not survive, and was granted an 'autorisation exceptionnelle'. Inspired by Sylvain Pataille’s Fleur de Pinot and Domaine de L’Anglore’s delicately extracted Tavels, some grapes undergo a 24 to 48-hour semi-carbonic maceration while others are directly pressed (over 12 hours) before assemblage for fermentation. For this cuvée, only 20% of the perpetual reserve is added to the fresh still wine. There is a beautiful, vibrant raspberry colour, cherries and peat on the nose, the fruit is succulent on the palate with a moreish savouriness. This is a 'vin de gastronomie' and a nod to the finest Rosés des Riceys! This is based on the 2020 vintage blended with a 2011-2019 perpetual reserve. Disgorged 04/24 - Dosage 3g/l.