Champagne Michel Gonet
Epernay, Champagne, France
Sophie & Diane Gonet
With over 40 hectares planted, Champagne Michel Gonet produces almost a dozen different cuvées. However, their Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from Mesnil sur Oger stands apart from those as it is the result of a philosophical partnership between Marco Pelletier of Domaine de Galouchey and the Gonet family. Marco is helping them isolate their best parcels and along with Gonet’s new Chef de Cave experimenting with different vinification styles. 2011 was the first release of this partnership.
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Gonet is a very old name in Champagne. The family moved to Champagne from the Beaujolais in the 15th century and worked in the vineyards before establishing a Champagne house in the early 1800s. Each subsequent generation helped lay a foundation for a successful domaine with the most recent patriarch, Michel Gonet, enlarging the cellars in Avize and refocusing their winemaking in the 1970s.
The total holdings are around 40 hectares, consisting mostly of Chardonnay on the Côte des Blancs. The vines are located in the villages of Le Mesnil sur Oger, a little further south, in Vindey on the Sézannais hillsides, and also near Troyes, on the slopes of Montgueux.
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Les Hautes-Mottes terroir lies on the far side of the railway in the plain on the far south of Le Mesnil. Hautes-Mottes means “high mound,” and refers to the unusual veins of chalk that extend into the plain.
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Wines
Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Mesnil sur Oger
Sourced entirely from one of the Gonet family's most historic parcels: Les Hautes Mottes in Le Mesnil Sur Oger. Les Hautes Mottes is a parcel neighbored by Les Chetillons and La Croix Collard, so a prime parcel to say the least. 100% Chardonnay that remains on its lees until being disgorged just before leaving the cellar and is zero dosage.
Grand Cru Zero Dosage NV
Made from four vineyards in Le Mesnil sur Oger: Tieuls, Boulangères, Les Chetillons and Les Hauttes Mottes. Each disgorgement lot is only done when the wine leaves the estate so that the profile retains the freshness of recently disgorged champagne.
Les Hautes Mottes Brut Nature 2017
Second vintage produced in collaboration between Rajat Parr and Marco Pelletier. Les Hautes Mottes, one of Marco’s favorite parcels in the Côtes des Blancs adjacent to Les Chétillons that sits on pure chalk. The section for this cuvée is old vines. Fermented in barrels procured from Jean-Marc Roulot (cooper DAMY) for 12 months the barrels are moved outdoors during winter for a natural stabilization. 60 months aged on the fine lees, zero dosage.
Les 3 Terroirs Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs
Made from vineyards in the three villages (terroirs) of le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Montgueux, and Vindey. A minimum of 5 years aging on lees before release and disgorged only when it leaves the estate. Dosage is Extra Brut at 5 g/l.
Montgueux VindEy Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs NV
The family created this new cuvée separate from their plots in Mesnil to showcase these special terroirs - Montegeux is general more mineral and rounder even when young. All aging in tank. Dosage 2g/L