Gounel - Lassalle
A golden robe with topaz highlights, threaded with fine, silky bubbles. The nose is complex and open, evoking ripe pear, toasted hazelnut and a spiced nuance inherited from oak ageing, against a characteristic chalky backdrop. On the palate, the texture is broad and vibrant: a refined acidity…
THE CUVÉES OF MAISON GOUNEL - LASSALLEThe expert verdict
The structure of this champagne
TASTING NOTES
A golden robe with topaz highlights, threaded with fine, silky bubbles. The nose is complex and open, evoking ripe pear, toasted hazelnut and a spiced nuance inherited from oak ageing, against a characteristic chalky backdrop. On the palate, the texture is broad and vibrant: a refined acidity underpins the whole, with minerality asserting itself through a long, mouth-watering finish.
The composition
Terroirs
The Les Agneaux parcel — 27 ares of Pinot Meunier on 1er Cru land in Chigny-les-Roses (Montagne de Reims) — rests on chalk and clay colluvium. Its east–west aspect ensures natural freshness and gradual ripening, both of which are expressed directly in the wine with no dosage whatsoever.
About this house
Champagne Gounel-Lassalle was born from the meeting of two winegrowing families from the Montagne de Reims, whose roots in Ludes stretch back to 1870. Arnaud Gounel and Sophie Lassalle took the plunge in 2017, leaving the cooperative to become independent récoltants-manipulants under the signature « Wine-Rider : transcender ses racines ».
Across their 5 hectares — planted predominantly with Meunier around the 1er Cru villages of Chigny-les-Roses and Ludes, complemented by plots in the Vallée de la Marne — Arnaud practises low-input, reasoned viticulture and parcel-by-parcel vinification in wood, with no malolactic fermentation and minimal sulphur. A philosophy of uncompromising terroir expression, far removed from the codes of the grandes maisons.
The perfect pairing
Aperitif
Its Brut Nature vivacity and hazelnut notes are a natural match for warm gougères, drawing out the full complexity of the Meunier.
Starter
The citrus freshness and fatty texture of gravlax resonate beautifully with the chalky minerality and lively character of the champagne.
Main course
The oak ageing and depth of the Meunier marry perfectly with the umami of morel mushrooms and the creaminess of a risotto.
Autres champagnes
from Maison Gounel - Lassalle
