Domaine Alexandre Bonnet : "La Forêt" Blanc de Noirs Dosage Zéro 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for "La Forêt" Blanc de Noirs Dosage Zéro 2020 from Domaine Alexandre Bonnet

Tasting

Colour
Extremely pale, almost like a white wine in colour, with delicate pink highlights at the rim.

Palate
The palate is both broad and taut. This terroir wine stands out for its intensely vinous character and linear structure, carried by lovely purity and the mineral influence of its soils.

The pure expression of Pinot Noir in a rosé Champagne by Alexandre Bonnet

The estate
The family's winegrowing history began in 1934, but it was not until 1970 that the House was officially founded as Domaine Alexandre Bonnet. Based in Les Riceys, in the heart of the Côte des Bar in Champagne, the house farms a 47-hectare vineyard divided into numerous "Contrées". Since 1998, the estate has belonged to the Lanson-BCC group. Now run by Arnaud Fabre, the domaine is known for its precise plot-by-plot approach and its environmental commitment, producing still and sparkling wines from a unique terroir that carries three appellations.

The vineyard
This cuvée comes exclusively from the La Forêt lieu-dit, a 4-hectare plot on the heights of Les Riceys in Champagne. Rising to around 250 metres above sea level, this very steep slope (35%) enjoys a due-south exposure and a semi-continental climate. The Pinot Noir vines, grown from a massal selection planted in the early 1970s, thrive on marl and slightly ferruginous Kimmeridgian limestone soils. The domaine practises agroecological viticulture here, certified HVE and VDC, without herbicides or insecticides, thereby fostering biodiversity.

Vinification and ageing
The grapes for "La Forêt" Blanc de Noirs Dosage Zéro 2020 are hand-harvested in successive passes to capture optimal ripeness. After careful sorting directly in the vineyard, the berries are swiftly transported to the cellar in ventilated crates to keep them intact. The wine then undergoes extended ageing of 39 months on the lees before being disgorged without any dosage liqueur. This Brut Nature has a pH of 3.04 and an alcohol content ranging from 13% to 13.4%. Finally, it comes in eco-designed packaging, including a cotton label and recycled tissue paper.

Grape variety
This cuvée is made exclusively from 100% Pinot Noir.