Bonnet-Ponson

Since Grégoire Bonnet in 1862, six generations of wine growers have built the Champagne Bonnet-Ponson house. Récoltants-manipulants from the very beginning, each has made a contribution to the edifice by digging new caves in Chamery, buying new parcels, or creating a new cuvée.

Thierry Bonnet and his son Cyril are now the guardians of this tradition and maintain the style of champagne making that takes only the grapes of their familial vineyards. This beautiful legacy is spread over 10.5 hectares and five Premier Cru and Grand Cru villages (Chamery, Vrigny, Coulommes la Montagne, Verzenay, Verzy).

With a desire to preserve their terroir and constant search of improving their wines, Bonnet-Ponson has decided to manage their vineyards using organic methods. This choice of cultivation stems from a simple and verified observation: In a healthy living environment, the vines produce grapes with higher expression and more balanced composition.

The essence of Champagne Bonnet-Ponson lies at the heart of the Montagne de Reims, in the sixty parcels of the vineyards. The different geologies (calcareous clays, chalk, sand) and position on the slopes create a unique situation for each vine. Chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier have been planted there by the successive generations to get the best of each terroir.

By limiting the yields and plowing the soil, the search for authenticity and richness begins.

Once the grapes are harvested, the strive to reveal their full potential resides in a patient and respectful winemaking. In allowing each juice to ferment in oak barrels or stainless steel vats, the best expression of their quality is enhanced while preserving their aging potential. During the next eight months the contact between the wine and its lees build its future structure, guaranteeing a nice evolution over time.

Then comes the crucial assemblage step, in which the personality of each cuvée is created, respecting the traditional house method. For the Brut 1er cru and the Brut Rosé, reserve and young wines of the three different grape varieties are blended to bring complexity and balance.
The vintage cuvées will reflect the characters of specifics terroirs selected for their excellence. After the sparkling process, the bottles are aged for three to seven years in the freshness of the cellars where they reach their optimum maturity. Disgorging and addition of the house liquor gives the final signature to every bottle of Champagne Bonnet-Ponson.