A 7th Generation Champagne Family - Philippe Gonet
Champagne Philippe Gonet was founded in 1830 and is located in the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Mesnil-sur-Oger is one of the Grand Crus in the Cote des Blanc sub region of Champagne. Cote des Blancs translates to the hillside of whites Chardonnay, which is the principle grape of the region, is also the main grape of the Gonet Family estate.
Champagne is located 90 miles northeast of Paris. The area is one of the coolest wine producing regions in the world. Cool climates and northernly latitude (50 degrees in Champagne) are ideal for growing grapes to make sparkling wine because the grapes struggle to ripen and have high levels of acidity. Often times temperatures often barely high enough to encourage photosynthesis. Cool climates present certain risks to the vine and growth of the grape. In the spring frost and hail risk to growth of bud development. In late summer and autumn risk of high rainfall cause risks of rot, waterlogged grapes or grapes attacked by the mold botrytis cinerea. In the winter it can be extremely cold which could damage or potentially kills the dormant vines. Grapes have a hard time ripening evenly thereby planting the vines eastward to maximize sunlight as well as proper vine training the grapes low to the group to allow absorption of worth that may be reflected off the limestone/chalk white soil. Grapes grown in this region for sparkling wine are picked days to weeks early in order to retain the high acidity, lower sugar levels and also avoids any harvest time risks such as fungal diseases, high rainfall in autumn. Mesnil-sur-Oger has the purest form of limestone chalk soil in the Champagne region.
The chalk is soft and porous, allowing for very good drainage as well as encourage the roots to dig down deep in search of water. In very dry summer months the roots can access the water reservoir deep within the chalk soils providing necessary water back to the vine. Chardonnay thrives in this type of soil and is an early ripener making the location ideal for grape growing. It creates high acid grapes, provides finesse, purity and minerality of flavor to the wine. These wines have great finesse, freshness, intensity.
The Pinot Noir and Meunier are from the Vallée de la Marne region.The region is famous for producing ripe, full, found Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes. The slopes are south facing to maximize the sun exposure and warmth for ripening. The soils are a mix of clay, marl and sand. The soils allow for growth of richness and fruitiness in both varietals. They also provide a good environment for early ripening grapes which are prone to frost. Meunier in particular does well in heavier soils such as clay. Therefore without this ideal climate, latitude, aspect and soil types Champagne would not be able to produce what it does.
A historical vineyard is run today by the seventh generation of the Gonet family, brother and sister : Pierre Gonet, the winemaker and Chantal Gonet, the clever business woman. The land is made up of 20 hectares (49 acres) of family vineyards found within 8 villages with 35 different parcels on legendary limestone subsoils, rich in sea fossils, up to 130 feet deep. The Gonet family continues to strive for improvement in both the vineyards and in the winery with a focus towards sustainability. They are a part of a new group of certified producers under the HVE (High Environmental Value certification), focusing on biodiversity in the vineyard. This practice is applied to the new line of their ‘TER’ cuvées champagnes.
The grapes are hand picked and hand sorted. The grapes are vertically pressed gently, utilizing small tanks in whole bunches in order to extract the purest form of juice with as little solids as possible. Making the cuvée (first press) is what distinguishes Champagne houses from one another. The choice of reserve wine is crucial and what differentiates one champagne house from the next. The Gonet wines stand out with a minimum of 3 years on the lees, well beyond the aging requirement of 15 months for Champagne. The average age of the family estate vines is between 30 and 40 years which further enhances the concentration of the flavors in the wine . The extended lees aging, high quality levels, old vines and blending sets the Gonet family apart from other champagne producers.
The family’s vision is to be the reference point of what a Champagne from Mesnil-sur-Oger should taste like. They are known worldwide for its exceptional quality wines that expresses the richness and minerality of the terroir. This particular Brut Reserve costs approximately $50 US. The wine is a blend of 30% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier. This wine has been becoming increasingly popular over the past year. Two competitive producers are Salon and Krug. Salon is a highly regarded small producer of renowned for their blanc de blancs style. It joined the Laurent-Perrier group in 1989. It is regarded as one of the greatest Champagnes on the market. Krug is another example of an exemplary Champagne house who is owned by the multinational conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton S.E. The family produces 8 other Champagnes which makes them a strong competitor on the champagne market. This particular champagne that I’ve chosen is the entry level wine. The wine is priced competitively compared to the larger houses.
More and more growers are making and selling their own wine rather than selling to the large houses. Trends towards smaller Champagne quality producers, family-owned estates and wines made with true terroir expression showcase how they differ from the large homogenous brands. This particular wine is more affordable than many Champagne Brut wines. The price has been stable over the past year. The family produces 250 000 bottles every year and exports 50% of the production in 24 countries. This is the one of the most popular Champagne Brut wines. They have a strong presence in the France market as they sell 50% of their wines locally. With the increasing trends towards smaller producers, sustainability and quality the Gonet family are well positioned to increase their global market share.
