Maison Gratiot & Cie offers this Champagne Almanach No. 1, Brut version, thus dry but not extreme. An interesting bubble that comes from a blend of 85% Pinot Meunier, a basic grape variety in the Marne Valley, and 15% Chardonnay. All grapes come from the villages of Charly Sur Marne at an altitude between 100 and 165 metres above sea level. Vineyards properly exposed to the south, with vines of an average age of 35 years. The soil here is typically clayey-chalky, with a good presence of limestone and sand. Harvested by hand in September, the base wine is vinified in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks. The decision to subject about 70% of the base wines to malolactic fermentation, and to vinify about 7% of the bases in wood, is then particular. In assembling the cuvée, then, the producer uses a large proportion of vintage wines to which is added a percentage of around 40% of reserve wine from previous vintages. Ageing on the lees is about 3 years. In the glass it has a beautiful golden yellow colour. On the nose it is easy to perceive notes of ripe yellow berry fruit, then fresh floral sensations, buttery and bread crust notes. On the finish, then, light toasted notes to make it more complex. In the mouth, on the other hand, it is pleasantly soft and fresh, with fruity notes of apple and peach, hints of yeast, brioche and delicate hints of toast. Elegant, round and balanced, it gratifies with an excellent persistence. Recommended with a fish menu, with shellfish and molluscs. Also excellent at the end of a meal, to stay up late while chatting with lifelong friends.