Clandestin is a collaborative project by Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette & Sorbée and Benoit Dousset, who originally comes from Burgundy. The goal of this inspiring partnership is to produce a terroir Champagne from the Aube, whose origin has remained undiscovered. The word "clandestin" can be translated as "hidden" or "secret".
The prerequisite for the uncompromising clear focus of your work is the quality of the grapes and their origin. The grapes used come only from purely organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards and are subject to the same high standards for which Vouette & Sorbée is known.
The vines must be at least 20 years old and the exposure to the sun must be the same. Due to the unconditional quality claim, only ripe and flawless grapes of the highest quality are processed further, which is why a dosage is not necessary and would alter the character.
The vineyards are located above Buxières, planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. Normally, south, east, and southeast locations are preferred due to greater sunlight exposure, but this is the extraordinary aspect of Clandestin, here the wines are exclusively produced from the cooler, west-facing vineyards.
In the cellar, the harvested grapes are handled with the utmost respect, and thanks to the use of gravity, pumping can be avoided. The careful and gentle pressing is done as meticulously as the decision of which grapes go into which barrel. Depending on the quantity and ripeness, each parcel is vinified separately. During the first fermentation, only own natural yeasts are used. The aging of the wines takes place in neutral barrels made of French oak (300 l and 500 l). The bottling after 15 months of aging on the lees is done without filtration and no dosage is added.
