Tasting Notes
Dhondt-Grellet Roc Solare Extra Brut is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir from old vines planted in the 1970s across Barbonne-Fayel and Fontaine-Denis in the Côte de Sézanne. The wine is built around a single vintage with around 30% drawn from a perpetual reserve started in 1986, before being fermented and aged in barrel and finished with a very low Extra Brut dosage. It’s a richer, more vinous expression of Champagne, with the generosity of the Sézannais balanced by plenty of tension and chalky freshness. There’s real depth and texture here, but it remains precise and energetic, with a long, dry and gently saline finish. This feels as much like a serious white wine as it does Champagne. - Chris L
This is the most laser-like and lean of the Dhondt-Grellet Champagnes. Lemon, apple, peach and salted bagels on the nose with a body of unreal mineral intensity and saltiness. Fantastic. - Aaron C.
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.
| Product Type | Wine Sparkling Champagne |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne |
| Sub Region | Sezanne |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |