CHAMPAGNE BONNET-PONSON
COUNTRY: France
REGION: Champagne
Thierry Bonnet and Cyril Bonnet
Grégoire Bonnet founded the estate in 1862. That’s 150 years of continuous production within the same family, now helmed by Thierry Bonnet and his son Cyril. They farm over 10 hectares including the Premier Cru and Grand Cru villages of Chamery, Vrigny, Coulommes la Montagne, Verzenay, and Verzy. This is spread over 50 parcels of 35-80 year old vines, all farmed organic since 2013 and certified in 2016, which puts them in rare company for Champagne. All initial fermentations are native yeasts, no filtration, and minimal sulfur. Their production is approximately 60,000 bottles per year.
These represent honest expressions and are part of the new guard (at least philosophically) of organic viticulture and crystalline assertions within a sea of mass production. They even make some true zero-zero cuvées, including their not to be missed Coteaux Champenois. These still wines are direct translations of the terroirs and remind us of the purity of Pinot and Chardonnay when they have not been “messed” with.
CUVÉES
“LE JOUR”
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: Pinot Meunier
Vineyard: “Le Jour” parcel in Vrigny 1er cru, planted 1971
Soil: clay-loamy top soil, chalky subsoil
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: whole bunch maceration 10 days, first fermentation in old 228L and 400L oak barrels, full malolactic, no dosage
Aging: 9 months on lees
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none
The Ballad of Chardonel & Vinifera
Grapes: 30% Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier. the rest of the blend made up by Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Vineyard: 10.50 hectares, from the villages of Chamery, Vrigny, and Coulommes-la-Montagne
Soil: sand, clay
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: direct press, fermentation in used oak
Aging: 11 months used oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none
“CUVÉE PERPETUELLE”
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay
Vineyard: plots in Chamery, Vrigny, and Coulommes-la-Montagne (1er cru)
Soil: calcareous clay, limestone
Average Age of Vines: 35 years
Farming: in conversion to organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: 40% blend of reserve wines, direct press, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and old oak, malolactic fermentation
Aging: 8 months in old oak, sur lie, 4 years in bottle
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Dosage: 8-10 g/L liqueur d’expedition
Added S02: less than 35 mg/L
“SECONDE NATURE”
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Vineyard Size: 10.50 hectares
Soil: calcareous clay, limestone
Average Age of Vines:
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: spontaneous fermentation in old oak with indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation
Aging: 9 months in old oak, sur lie, 24 months in bottle
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Dosage: none
Added S02: none
CHAMERY ROUGE PUR MEUNIER COTEAUX CHAMENOIS
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: Pinot Meunier
Vineyard: Chamery
Soil: sand, clay
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: whole bunch maceration 10 days, fermentation in sandstone 100L eggs and 400L barrel
Aging: 12 months in eggs and barrel before blending
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none
NON-DOSE CUVÉE PERPÉTUELLE
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: 35% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay
Vineyard: plots in Chamery, Vrigny, and Coulommes-la-Montagne (1er cru)
Soil: calcareous clay, limestone
Average Age of Vines: 35 years
Farming: in conversion to organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: 40% blend of reserve wines, direct press, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and old oak, malolactic fermentation
Aging: 8 months in old oak, sur lie, before being blended with reserve wine 4 years in bottle
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Dosage: 0 g/L
Added S02: less than 35 mg/L
BLANC DE NOIRS PREMIER CRU
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Vineyard Size: 10.50 hectares
Soil: clay, limestone
Average Age of Vines: 62 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: direct press, spontaneous fermentation in oak with indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation
Aging: 96 months in bottle
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Dosage: 2 mg/L liqueur d’expidition
Added S02: less than 50 mg/L
“VIGNES DIEU”
Region: Montagne de Reims
Grapes: Chardonnay
Vineyard Size: 10.50 hectares
Soil: sand, clay
Average Age of Vines: 58 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: direct press, spontaneous fermentation in old oak with indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation
Aging: 7 months in old oak, sur lie, 72 months in bottle
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Dosage: 6-8 mg/L liqueur d’expidition
Added S02: less than 40 mg/L
