Founded in 1986. Dhondt Grellet's focus on biodynamic farming has translated into vivid champagnes from great parcels across the Côte des Blancs. The domaine is 6ha of Grand Cru and 1er Cru vines, with an average age of 40 years. A family run business, their son Adrien is now at the helm, together with his sister Alice. Inspired by the great white winemakers of Burgundy, Adrien is taking his family’s wines to another level, focusing on chardonnay and terroir. The quality of Adrien’s cuvées was recognized when he was voted Winemaker of the Year 2017 in the Trophées Champenois.
This is the first cuvée of Adrien's range and the largest. The intention is to be an expression of all 6 hectares of his holdings spread across Sezanne, Cuis, and Avenay val d'Or. The Chardonnay receives 50% fermentation in barrel, and the rest in tank. 30% of the Pinot Noir and 20% of the Meunier is tank-fermented. All farming is organic and biodynamic, with plowing done by Adrien's horse, Thor.
Weather: The 2020 Champagne vintage is noted as the third consecutive high-quality, warm harvest, with a promising but challenging season characterized by early budbreak, a warm August, and shortened ripening periods that resulted in heterogeneity among the wines. Despite challenges like vine heat stress and labor issues due to the pandemic, the still base wines (vins clairs) showed potential for powerful, rich, and expressive wines with good balance.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: Sezanne, Cuis, and Avenay val d'Or
Grape Varieties: 50% Chardonnay from Sezanne, 30% Pinot Noir from Avenay Val d’Or & 20% Old vine Meunier from Cuis
Base Vintage: 70% from 2020
Reserve Wines: 30% from a perpetual reserve with the oldest wines from 1986
Bottling Date: May 2021
Disgorged: January 2024
Lees ageing: 3 years
Dosage: 3 g/L
Drink: Now to 2036
Tasting Note: The nose is beautifully expressive, with cool and crunchy appley fruitiness alongside emerging toastiness and a touch of wood. The palate plays less on fruit than on mineral notes, being well built, structured and full of character. Well balanced by fresh acidity and a fleshy, dense texture, the wine ends on a dry, chalky finish. - Tasted by Essi Avellan MW
In 1986, Eric Dhondt and Edith Grellet decided to stop selling off their grapes to negociants and started Dhondt-Grellet. Their focus on biodynamic farming has translated into vivid champagnes from great parcels across the Côte des Blancs. The domaine is around 6ha of Grand Cru and 1er Cru vines, with an average age of 40 years. Their son Adrien is now at the helm, together with his sister Alice. Inspired by the great white winemakers of Burgundy, Adrien is taking his family’s wines to another level, focusing on chardonnay and terroir. The quality of Adrien’s cuvées was recognised when he was voted Winemaker of the Year 2017 in the Trophées Champenois.
Cellar Master: Adrien Dhondt-Grellet
Winery Location: Flavigny | Champagne, France
Champagne Region:
Vallée de la Marne