Colette Bonnet

Colette Bonnet

I've tasted 3 champagnes from Colette Bonnet -- and this house from the Aube has fascinated me with its specialization in Pinot Blanc. While most producers focus on the three major grape varieties, Colette Bonnet shows that Pinot Blanc is a serious alternative. Organically certified and crafted with lots of hand work, these champagnes taste different from anything else you'll find in Champagne.

Terroir and Location

The Aube -- also called Côte des Bar -- is the southernmost part of Champagne. Warmer climate, different soils, different aromas. The limestone soils here give the wines a mineral backbone, while the milder climate produces riper, fuller fruits. For Pinot Blanc, these conditions are ideal: the grape variety needs warmth to show its creamy, exotic side.

Philosophy and Style

Organically certified with a clear focus on Pinot Blanc -- that's the identity of Colette Bonnet. The dosage stays low (Extra Brut to Brut Nature), the lees aging is long, and the vinification is purist. The goal here is to let the grape variety speak. And Pinot Blanc has a lot to say: creamy textures, exotic fruit notes, and a silky-round character that neither Chardonnay nor Pinot Noir delivers quite the same way.

The Range

Three cuvées, two of them single-varietal Pinot Blanc and one assemblage with three grape varieties. All vintage champagnes, all with long lees aging. A focused, ambitious range.

The Cuvées in Detail

Assemblage 3 Cépages Millésime 2020

A round, approachable champagne that harmoniously combines the three grape varieties -- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc. The Pinot Noir brings dark fruit, the Chardonnay elegance, and the Pinot Blanc a special creaminess and exotic fruit notes. Purist and drinkable with tension from the limestone soil. 45 months of lees aging give the wine depth and maturity.

My tip: The perfect introduction to the world of Colette Bonnet. Shows all three grape varieties and makes you curious about the single-varietal cuvées.

Type: Extra Brut | Vintage: 2020 | Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc

Millésime 2019 Blanc de Blancs

A champagne made from 100% Pinot Blanc -- and you can tell. Fine, silky texture from the malolactic fermentation, a calm and serenity that reveals new nuances with each glass. Precise and clear with a low dosage that shows the character of the grape variety unfiltered. For me, one of the best Pinot Blanc champagnes ever. The silkiness is remarkable.

Compared to a Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs, it lacks the chalky-mineral austerity -- instead you get softness, elegance, and exotic nuances.

Type: Blanc de Blancs | Vintage: 2019 | Grape varieties: Pinot Blanc

Pinot Blanc Millésime 2018

A calm, creamy champagne with aromas of pear, almond, blossom honey, and a touch of wax. Well-balanced acidity, where you can taste the handwork and love for the product. The older 2018 vintage gives the wine a bit more depth and maturity than the 2019. Dosed as Brut Nature, which gives the champagne a nice tension.

My tip: With a goat cheese from the region or a simple chicken with tarragon sauce.

Type: Brut Nature | Vintage: 2018 | Grape varieties: Pinot Blanc

Posts about Colette Bonnet

What makes Colette Bonnet special?

The Pinot Blanc. In a region dominated by three grape varieties, specializing in this fourth variety is bold and unique. The organically certified approach and consistently low dosage show a house that goes its own way. Anyone looking for something new in the champagne world will find it here.

My Tastings

Summary