The Gobillard family has been growing vines in Pierry, near Epernay, since the 18th century. In 1858, Paul Gobillard began selling champagne under his own name. The brand name “Domaine Bruno Gobillard” was created in 1990 by Bruno and his wife Sophie, who are the 6th generation of the family to produce champagne in Pierry. Although half of his harvest is sold to negociants, Gobillard selects the best of his oldest wines to produce his full line of champagnes.
Today the domaine owns 3.5 hectares (8.65 acres) divided into 6 different crus around Epernay (Moussy, Pierry, Epernay, Cramant, Chatillon-sur-Marne, and la Chapelle-Montaudon).
The average age of the vines is 60 years and they are maintained with regular plowing and grass between the rows. Gobillard practices conscientious viticulture, limiting all vineyard treatments and opting for non-residual products. The vines undergo thorough debudding and canopy management.
The vinification techniques are traditional and have been handed down for 6 generations: the grapes are carefully hand-picked and subjected to a long, gentle pressing, individually separated by parcel. Vinification takes place in small, temperature-controlled vats before alcoholic fermentation and a long, gentle decanting period. Blending and bottling take place in the spring, followed by aging and riddling by hand in 18th-century chalk cellars that favor the slow maturation that champagne requires. The dosage is minimal, which is how Bruno and Sophie hope to perpetuate the tradition to the 7th generation, with their children Jules and Nina. Annual production is only around 25,000 bottles per year.
