Dhondt Grellet Champagne Les Nogers Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2017

 Adrien Dhondt, an emerging talent in the Côte de Blancs, directs his estate from the serene village of Flavigny, located just a short distance from Avize. The estate's origins trace back to 1986, uniting the Dhondt family's Belgian farming heritage with the local lineage of the Grellets, who hailed from Cuis and Cramant. While commencing with a mere two hectares, the domaine has since expanded threefold, and Adrien's remarkable Champagnes have earned significant acclaim.

Adrien Dhondt, a self-taught winemaker informed by his own experiments and influenced by vignerons in Burgundy and Champagne, practices "peasant viticulture." He places a strong emphasis on nurturing living soils without actively pursuing organic certification. Eschewing synthetic products, he engages in hands-on vineyard work and employs methods like short pruning and rigorous debudding to manage yields. In the cellar, Adrien prefers barrel fermentation with indigenous yeasts, minimal use of sulfur dioxide, and avoids practices such as cold stabilization, filtering, or fining. His wines undergo eight months of lees aging before tirage, with periodic topping up and bâtonnage guided by regular tastings. The result is wines that exhibit the texture and vinosity reminiscent of Burgundy, influenced by both direct inspirations and his neighbour, Anselme Selosse.