Champagne Gonet-Médeville Grand Cru "Extra Brut Champ d'Alouette" - 2008

Small video with Xavier Gonet-Médeville presenting Gonet-Médeville Champagnes, filmed during the tasting organized by Vins Gazzar in Lausanne.

On the Médeville side, Julie, Christian Médeville's daughter, nicknamed the antique dealer of Sauternes, took over the three estates of the Graves appellation from her father in 2004. On the Gonet side, Xavier, son of Denise and Philippe Gonet, has been looking after the Champagne vineyards since 2000, with Julie's help. The two of them met at a Tasting Salon where each presented their family's wines and together they created the Vignobles Gonet-Médeville in order to vinify their own Champagne. Based in Bisseuil, in the middle of the Marne Valley, near Epernay, Xavier Gonet first completed his studies in oenology and biochemistry before going into the production of small bubbles.

The new estate owns 12 hectares of Grands Crus (Le Mesnil sur Oger, Oger and Ambonnay) and Premiers Crus. The grape varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. No Malolactics in this domain, Xavier and Julie want freshness and vivacity. They bet everything on original blends while maintaining traditional winemaking techniques in order to offer their Champagne Gonet-Médeville the pride and quality of an exceptional terroir made of soft limestone. Harvesting is done by hand and the cultivation of the vines is reasoned. The majority of the wines ferment in barrels. The prices of the 1er and Grands Crus of the Champagne Gonet-Médeville are reasonable despite the fact that according to the Revue du Vin de France 2018, Xavier and Julie Gonet-Médeville are real stars in the making...

Sompteux, the Gonet-Médeville Champ d'Alouette Champagne is made of 100% Chardonnay on these famous chalky soils typical of the region. Two hectares of vines planted on the slopes of the commune of Mesnil-sur-Oger allow the couple Xavier Gonet and Julie Médeville to produce a jewel of Champagne, a few steps away from the Clos du Mesnil de Krug.

Cultivated according to the principles of biodynamics, aged only in oak barrels, Gonet-Médeville Champ d'Alouette Champagne is then kept in the cellar for 12 years before being marketed. The result is prodigious. Extraordinarily complex on the nose, it already has aromas of lemon curd and roasted pineapple. On the palate, almost vinous, with its chalky minerality, the white plum explodes in the mouth, with a touch of vanilla, hazelnut and white flowers. Of a confounding smoothness, it coats the palate with its fine bubbles during a long finish.

Chardonnay Grand Cru, Gonet-Médeville Champ d'Alouette Champagne will be enjoyed with roasted quail, foie gras or a piece of soft cheese.