Champagne Guiborat Tethys Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut

Established in 1885 and based in the Grand Cru village of Cramant, Champagne Guiborat is now in the hands of Richard and Karine Fouquet, the fifth generation of this quietly exceptional family house. Nearly three-quarters of their fruit is sold to Laurent-Perrier, with the remainder reserved for a small, focused portfolio of estate cuvées that showcase the very best of the Côte des Blancs. Their Chardonnay vines are rooted in Campanian chalk formed some 70 million years ago, and that geological depth is palpable in every glass. Tethys, named for the ancient sea whose retreating waters shaped the chalky subsoils of the Côte des Blancs, is the entry point to the Guiborat range, though entry-level is a relative term here. Sourced from four Grand Cru parcels across Cramant, Chouilly, and Oiry, it is a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs vinified in stainless steel and aged for 24 months on the lees, followed by a further 8 to 12 months post-disgorgement. A minimal dosage of just 1.5 g/L keeps the focus squarely on the wine's natural character. The 2022 base opens with an almost sorbet-like freshness, offering aromas of white peach, lemon zest, dried white flowers, and pastry, underpinned by a distinct, cool chalky minerality. The palate is bright, precise, and beautifully structured, with flavours of citrus, orchard fruit, and a saline, mineral edge running through to a clean, focused finish. The mousse is fine and creamy, the acidity vivid but never sharp. A wine of real elegance and Côte des Blancs typicity, ideal as an aperitif and equally at home at the table alongside seafood and light dishes.