In the Vallée de la Marne, the river cuts a deep dividing line. On the Right Bank (Fleury-la-Rivière), the soils are clay-heavy and cold, producing Pinot Meunier with bite and tension. On the Left Bank (Mardeuil), the slopes face north, offering a different kind of mineral austerity. For generations, these two sides were separate worlds—until Philippe Gamet (from the Left Bank) married Fabienne Heucq (from the Right Bank).

That union didn't just bring two people together; it united two distinct terroirs. And the Champagne Gamet "Caractères" is the liquid embodiment of that marriage.

This cuvée is the most personal wine in their cellar. It is designed to be the "memory" of the estate. It is a non-vintage bottling built on a "perpetual reserve" (a tank that has been refilled every year since 1999). But don't think of this merely as a production technique; think of it as a family diary. Inside this bottle is a drop of wine from every harvest the couple has worked on together for the last 25 years, blended with the fresh energy of the current vintage.

The result is a Champagne of striking duality. It balances the "Right Bank" richness with the "Left Bank" minerality, all wrapped in the savory complexity that comes from decades of history. Dominated by Pinot Meunier and aged in oak barrels, it offers a profound depth of flavor—bruised apple, dried hazelnut, and curry leaf—that behaves more like a top-tier white Burgundy than a standard aperitif Champagne.

Now run by the next generation, Marianne and Jean-François Gamet, the estate has become a beacon for the "New Champagne" movement. They have polished the rustic edges of the past into something crystalline and precise.

We love this wine because it defies the standard "house style" consistency of the big brands. It is a wine of emotion and history, capturing the entire lifespan of a family farm in a single glass. Because of its savory weight, we recommend skipping the flute and pouring this into a white wine glass alongside a roast chicken or a wheel of Comté.

Gamet Champagne Extra Brut Caracteres NV - $69.99