Petit Melange, 7 Cépages, Non Dosé

A Champagne that forgoes any cosmetics: zero grams of dosage, no added sulphur, spontaneous fermentation. Wild and shape-shifting on the nose, taut and chalky on the attack, with an herbal spice that lingers for minutes.

The vines stand in Chamery, Vrigny and Coulommes-la-Montagne in the Montagne de Reims. Cyril Bonnet farms just over ten hectares, spread across around 50 parcels with vines aged 35 to 80 years; each parcel is vinified separately. The house dates back to 1862, when Grégoire Bonnet founded one of the region's first récoltant-manipulant houses. In Chamery, Cyril's grandparents still dug the cellars through the sandy soil with shovel and pickaxe.

Seven grape varieties, dominated by 38 percent Petit Meslier. The blend is half made up of the 2020 vintage, supplemented with reserve wines from 2018 and 2019. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, a third of the base wines aged in old oak barrels, the rest in steel, no filtration. Disgorged in January 2023 at 0 g/l dosage, also without added sulphur.

The attack is taut and crisp. The fine minerality spreads across the entire palate, making the fruit appear brighter: green apple with tannin, phenolics and crisp acidity. It emerges even more distinctly on the finish, accompanied by a fine bitter note and a slightly nutty tone that lingers for minutes alongside the herbal spice.

Roasted scallop with salsify, white asparagus with citrus fruits and caponata with silken tofu.

Petit Meslier as the main variety in a Champagne blend, bottled without dosage or added sulphur: Cyril Bonnet's signature style since his return to Chamery in 2013, which leaves behind his father's opulent, highly dosed style.