Champagne Colette Bonnet

Champagne Colette Bonnet

Champagne Colette Bonnet is a small Maison from Éguilly-sous-Bois in the Côte des Bar (Aube). Led by Colette Bonnet and Christophe Bonnet, the Maison cultivates 2.24 hectares of vines on the Kimmeridgian limestone and clay soils of the region.

The Maison is AB- and Ecocert-certified and works completely organically. Sulfur use is extremely low, Dosages range between 0 and 4.5 g/l. A special focus lies on Pinot Blanc — a grape variety rare in Champagne, which is vinified here as a single variety.

Vignoble & Soil

The vineyards are located in Noé-les-Mallets, on Kimmeridgian limestone and clay — the typical soil signature of the Côte des Bar. The vines in one of the main parcels are about 30 years old. The exact grape variety distribution across all parcels is not documented, but it's clear that: Pinot Blanc takes a central role and is used both as a single variety and in Assemblage with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Viticulture & Sustainability

Colette Bonnet works completely organically and has been AB- and Ecocert-certified for years. The approach is purist: unadulterated Terroir expression, minimal intervention in the vineyard and in the cellar. Sulfur use is extremely low, malolactic fermentation is carried out completely — a conscious step to promote structure and creaminess without relying on high Dosages.

Vinification

Vinification takes place in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is carried out completely. The Dosage ranges between 0 and 4.5 g/l — most Cuvées are Extra Brut or Brut Nature. The philosophy is clear: the Champagne should let the Terroir speak, not the cellar technique. One Cuvée was vinified in Chouilly, which indicates close collaboration with partners in the Côte des Blancs.

The Cuvées in Detail

Assemblage 3 Cépages Millésime 2020

The classic Assemblage of 54% Pinot Noir, 31% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Blanc is round, accessible and creamy. The vines come from 30-year-old parcels in Noé-les-Mallets, with 45 months of aging. The Pinot Blanc brings a special creaminess, while the dark fruit comes from Pinot Noir. Disgorged in February 2025.

54% Pinot Noir, 31% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Blanc · Extra Brut (4 g/l) · 45 months · Noé-les-Mallets, Kimmeridgian

Millésime 2019 Blanc de Blancs

A 100% Pinot Blanc, vinified in Chouilly, tirage in July 2020, disgorged in June 2024 and February 2025 respectively. The texture is fine and silky, malolactic fermentation gives the Champagne structure without heaviness. Precise and clear in expression, without any pandering.

100% Pinot Blanc · Extra Brut (4.47 g/l) · 2019 · Côte des Bar, vinified in Chouilly

Pinot Blanc Millésime 2018

Also 100% Pinot Blanc, this time as Brut Nature without any Dosage. Aging took place in stainless steel, the aromas are calm and clear: pear, almond, floral honey, a touch of wax. Creamy in texture, with 12% vol. moderate alcohol presence. A Champagne that needs time and gives it.

100% Pinot Blanc · Brut Nature (0 g/l) · 2018 · Noé-les-Mallets, Côte des Bar

My Tastings

• Assemblage 3 Cépages Millésime 2020 (2020) · 2026-03-08
• Millésime 2019 Blanc de Blancs (2019) · 2026-02-09
• Pinot Blanc Millésime 2018 (2018) · 2025-11-11

First contact in fall 2025 — opened one bottle, immediately convinced. For me, Colette Bonnet is among those discoveries that show the Côte des Bar can do far more than powerful Pinot Noir. The Pinot Blanc here isn't filler, but the protagonist.

Facts

Sources for this portrait: Maison website, personal tastings, CRM data and cross-checks. Fields without sufficient verification remain open.