MICHEL GONET

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Seven generations of Michel’s branch of the Gonet family have been growing grapes and producing wine in the picturesque Côtes des Blancs village of Avize since 1802. The modern era began in 1973 when Michel oversaw a major update of the winery, and the improvements have continued since his daughter Sophie took control and enlisted the help of star sommelier Marco Pelletier as consultant. The range has become more focused and viticulture taken up a level, while young winemaker Antoine Gomérieux and Pelletier have made great strides in the cellar. Having friends such as Jean-Marc Roulot certainly helps, and the Burgundian legend now sends up barrels for Champagne Michel Gonet to use when maturing the base wines for their Mesnil Grand Cru cuvée.
 
Typical for a domaine based in the heart of the Côtes des Blancs, Gonet’s 40 hectares are primarily Chardonnay (80%) with the balance Pinot Noir. While many of their vineyards are around Mesnil-sur-Oger, they also own Chardonnay plantings around Vindey in the Côte de Sézanne and on the chalk hill of Montgueux in the Aube. These vineyards are used to produce two vintage Blanc des Blancs cuvées, the first a complex Extra Brut (4 g/l dosage) blend called ‘3 Terroirs’ that spends 6 years ageing on lees, and the beautiful zero dosage Mesnil Grand Cru, made from a single parcel called ‘Les Hautes Mottes’ and aged for five years on lees.
 
These elegant grower Champagnes have a combination of weight, texture and verve that betters many much more expensive Grand Marques. 

Michel Gonet Blanc de Blanc Brut Grand Cru 2011 was Jancis Robinson’s tied top wine in Noble Rot’s recent comparison of champagne and English sparkling wine. 

"100% Chardonnay. From the lieu-dit Les Hautes Mottes in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Pale lemon colour. Fair amount of complexity on the nose. Great balance and savour. Not the most tight-knit but this is the first wine I have found difficult to expectorate. Really well thought out. Complete. Some age on this but it’s not heavy. Lots to discover. Long. Very long. Bone dry but not austere. Very subtle. 18."


And this is another recent review by Jancis of the 2012 version...
"From the Mesnil-sur-Oger lieu-dit Les Hautes Mottes. Disgorged 4 Febuary 2020. Dosage 2 g/l. Very nicely balanced racy aperitif or food champagne. Amazing persistence and some real lacy, almost entrancing evidence of autolysis on the nose. Pure fruit. Just the ticket! 18.”

LOCATION: MICHEL GONET

MICHEL GONET
GENERAL INFO PRODUCER APPELLATIONS FOUNDED ANNUAL PRODUCTION FARMING
MICHEL GONET Champagne 1802 N/A Sustainable
TECHNICAL INFO WINE BLEND VINE AGE SOIL TYPE VINEYARD AREA
Extra Brut ‘3 Terroirs’ Chardonnay N/A Limestone 12 ha
Extra Brut ‘Mesnil Grand Cru’ Chardonnay N/A Limestone 10 ha

GENERAL INFO

  • PRODUCER: MICHEL GONET
  • APPELLATIONS:
  • FOUNDED: 1802
  • ANNUAL PRODUCTION: N/A
  • FARMING: Sustainable

TECHNICAL INFO

  • Extra Brut ‘3 Terroirs’
  • BLEND: Chardonnay
  • WINE AGE: N/A
  • SOIL TYPE: Limestone
  • VINEYARD AREA: 12 ha
  • Extra Brut ‘Mesnil Grand Cru’
  • BLEND: Chardonnay
  • WINE AGE: N/A
  • SOIL TYPE: Limestone
  • VINEYARD AREA: 10 ha