Location and Terroir
Champagne Alexandre Bonnet is located in Les Riceys at the southern end of the Champagne appellation in the Côte des Bar, near the border with Burgundy and at the end of the Laignes valley. The estate comprises 23 named Contrées with different exposures, soil depths and hillside positions. The soils consist of various Jurassic Kimmeridgian limestones and marls; in places, Kimmeridgian limestone comes to the surface. The climate of southern Champagne is described as cool, sunny and semi-continental.
Vine Growing
The estate has been HVE certified since 2015. Documented viticultural practices include the avoidance of herbicides and insecticides, tilling the soil, partial cover cropping, organic composts, preventive plant protection and a reduced frequency of treatments. Orchard meadows, truffle oaks, flower-rich fallow plots and a late pruning of areas that have been sown support biodiversity.
Wines and Cellar Work
The range includes Champagne Blanc de Noirs, Blanc de Blancs and Rosé, single-parcel wines, Rosé des Riceys, as well as still Coteaux Champenois wines. For the cuvée Les Contrées 7 Cépages, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay, Blanc Vrai, Buret, Arbane and Petit Meslier are used. Rosé des Riceys is made from whole-bunch macerated Pinot Noir. Blanc Les Riceys is a still white wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are vinified as a white wine.
Alexandre Bonnet vinifies by parcel using a method influenced by Burgundy. Reserve wines are selected according to origin parcel and vintage. For Blanc Les Riceys, this includes a manual, step-by-step harvest, sorting in the vineyard, slow pneumatic pressing, static pre-clarification, natural malolactic fermentation and nine months’ lees ageing with light bâtonnage.
History and Appellations
Alexandre Bonnet was founded in 1970 and sees itself as part of the wine-growing history of Les Riceys. The local campaign to achieve recognition as a Champagne appellation was successfully completed in 1927. According to the official presentation, the cuvée Rosé des Riceys has been produced in almost every year since 1985. The house’s wines are associated with the appellations Champagne, Coteaux Champenois and Rosé des Riceys. The estate is located in France.
