Sad News that M.Pierre Cheval of Gatinois Champagne leaves us
15th January 2016
When you work in the industry of Champagne and Sparkling Wine one thing is for sure, you will meet many engaging characters and sometimes you will also have the fortune to meet someone amazing and that is how I will describe the feeling after having met Pierre Cheval last year whilst on a trip with the UK CIVC.
Engaged and charmed us and proudly showed us his Champagne house Gratinois, and we were treated to a tasting of his Champagne Gatinois:
“I remember sitting with some fellow Champagne connoisseurs as Pierre introduced us to his wines. He kept us all in suspense as he opened bottle upon bottle showcasing the depth of aromas and flavours of Gratinois. He was not only wise and charming, he was also a very great entertainer.” Christopher Walkey – Founder of GlassofBubbly.com
“A small producer with a high reputation, owner Pierre Cheval can trace back his family line to Nicolas le Cacheur, a vigneron in Aÿ in 1696. Like many growers today, Gatinois sells part of this production to various houses, but increasingly makes more of his own Champagne.” “Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wines” By Tom Stevenson
M.Pierre Cheval also played a big part and indeed could be described as the ‘architect‘ in helping the Champagne region gain it’s UNESCO status with a great contribution to showcasing the value and history behind the world famous wine region which will now be visited by many more people globally thanks to his work.
I was lucky enough to sit with M.Pierre Cheval and here is a small clip I recorded of him from Oct 2015:
Christopher Walkey
Co-founder of Glass of Bubbly. Journalist and author focused on Champagne & Sparkling Wines and pairing them with foods.