Maison Gardet was established in the late 19th century when Charles Gardet, an entrepreneurial wine merchant, founded this house in Epernay. His son, Georges Gardet, moved the house to the charming village of Chigny-les-Roses in the 1930’s. Today, the estate is owned by the  Prieux family, with Christophe Prieux running both this and the neighboring domaine of Maison Ployez-Jacquemart. Christophe built his empire through Jardiland –  the largest nursery and garden center in both France and Spain – before walking away to focus on his first love… world-class Champagne. The family’s roots in Champagne can be traced to the 1600s, and with Gardet house’s rise in quality over the short few years of his ownership...this just might be the best Champagne producer you’ve scarcely heard of. In fact, we decided to steal his personal motto for ourselves… 

“You don’t need an occasion to drink Champagne; you simply have to know how to create them.”

Cheers to that, all the better if it is a cheers with this fantastic bubbly fizzing away happily in your glass. A rich and beguiling blend of one third each pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier, this Champagne saunters from the glass with aromas of a Parisian bakery –  warm brioche, and fresh pastries, followed by golden apricots, crème au caramel, and calimyrna figs. A delicate honeysuckle floral note persists throughout, with baking spices punctuating the long and creamy finish. 

The fruit hails from Premier and Grand Cru sites in the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne & Côte des Blancs, with 25% off the final blend composed of the house’s perpetual barrel reserves – made solera style with a quarter of each year’s blend added in with prior vintages going back over a decade. After 7 years on the lees, a final dosage of 6 g/l is added – made from a liqueur of this wine and locally grown beet sugar. While this qualifies as a Brut, this is as low as Brut gets, just a single gram from Extra Brut. It’s dry but full and ripe, with a persistent freshness that keeps you on your feet! I would happily be lost in their miles of underground caves – with nothing but Gardet Champagne to drink until the end of my days – but until that day, a glass or two of this will surely make my morning bright! Now…onto presents!!!