Pierre Gerbais

Currently the head of the domain, Pascal Gerbais has instilled all areas of production with his vision of a Champagne that is known both for its exceptional quality and for its respect for the environment. It was at his initiative that the domain be converted to organic cultivation in 1996.
Imbued with the experience of Ulysse, his uncle, and Andre Gerbais, his father, Pierre has a deep knowledge and love of Celles-sur-Ource’s terroirs. His understanding of their diverse characteristics enables him to take advantage of the appellation’s best conditions for growing grapes.
The youngest generation of the Gerbais family, Aurelien has joined the domain with the mission of preserving the family’s unique approach to champagne, blending harmony and balance.
Ulysse Gerbais was one of the pioneers, a survivor of two world wars, who, upon his return from the front, chose to devote his life to the vineyards and a new champagne experiment.
The Cote de Bars is the most southern vineyard in the Champagne appellation. A region previously identified more with Burgundy than with Champagne, it is a natural extension of vineyards producing the great vines of Chablis.
Clay and limestone are important characteristics of the diverse soils. Their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc Vrai draw their wealth and opulence from these distinctive soil conditions.
All of the vineyards are rooted on the sunny slopes of the Ource Valley, in the heart of the village of Celles-sur-Ource. Located at the junction of the Laignes, Seine, Ource and Arce river valleys, this microclimate offers a variety of soils and unusual exposure.
Great wines are made with the passage of time, giving roots the opportunity to reach down and seek out the subtleties in the soil. It is therefore natural that their champagnes are from older vines, having an average life span of thirty years, and in the case of their oldest vines, lasting over a century.
Vine – because ‘the earth is not ours, we borrow it from our children’, they have been verified AMPELOS since 1996, in accordance with its standards for integrated viticulture. This rigorous certification defines and informs all of their viticulture practices and evidences the important role of respect for the environment in the development of high-quality grapes.
To maintain their strong characteristics, each of the vineyards (terroirs) and grape varieties are vinified separately, without artifice or excess. They create their champagnes from the traditional appellation varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They are exceptional in Champagne, however, having been the first to produce champagne from 100 Pinot Blanc Vrai, which they called L’Originale.