Presentation
For over a century, Domaine Bonnet Gilmert has honed its craft in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, the cradle of great Chardonnay champagnes. Based in Oger a Grand Cru village the estate exclusively cultivates Chardonnay on chalky soils that lend finesse and striking minerality to its wines. While many Champagne houses blend grape varieties, Bonnet Gilmert focuses solely on the purity of Chardonnay. Vinified exclusively in stainless steel, the wines retain their natural tension and freshness. Harvesting is done by hand, ensuring optimal grape selection. Prolonged aging on lees sometimes for up to five years brings out delicate brioche notes and remarkable aromatic complexity, all while maintaining a fine and elegant mousse. These are precision-driven champagnes, distinguished by bright aromas of citrus and white flowers, a silky texture, and a subtle saline finish a pure expression of the exceptional terroir of Oger.
Location
Champagne Bonnet Gilmert Grand Cru Précieuse d’Ambroise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is crafted from the estate’s finest parcels planted in the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, including Oger, Le Mesnil‑sur‑Oger, and Avize. These vineyards sit on well‑exposed slopes facing south and southeast, capturing ideal sunlight throughout the growing season. The gently rolling terrain and proximity to chalky highlands create a unique microclimate that promotes slow, balanced ripening and exceptional aromatic development. This privileged geographic setting underpins the purity and intensity of the Chardonnay grapes, giving this Extra Brut cuvée a signature precision and crystalline character.
Terroir
The terroir of Précieuse d’Ambroise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is defined by deep, chalk‑rich clay‑limestone soils that are emblematic of the Côte des Blancs. This unique geological foundation ensures excellent natural drainage while retaining sufficient moisture to support vine health through the growing season. The chalk gives the wine a pronounced minerality, taut structure, and refined tension, while clay contributes just enough richness to balance the linear energy of the grapes. This combination allows the Chardonnay to express remarkable clarity, mineral complexity, and vibrant acidity — hallmarks of the region’s most esteemed Blanc de Blancs.
In the vineyard
At Bonnet Gilmert, vineyard work is guided by sustainable, reasoned viticulture that prioritizes vine balance and soil health. The soils are carefully managed through shallow cultivation and controlled cover cropping to foster biodiversity and prevent erosion. Treatments are limited and targeted, based on vigilant, plot‑by‑plot observation. Harvest is done exclusively by hand, ensuring only perfectly ripe, healthy Chardonnay clusters are selected. Handpicking limits mechanical stress and preserves aromatic integrity at pressing, forming the foundation of this Extra Brut’s liveliness and finesse.
Harvest
The harvest for Précieuse d’Ambroise is carried out exclusively by hand, in keeping with Bonnet Gilmert’s long‑standing tradition of precision and respect for the fruit. This manual approach ensures only the ripest, healthiest Chardonnay bunches are selected, harvested at optimal maturity to preserve purity and aromatic balance. Each parcel is picked separately based on its specific ripeness profile, allowing for precise expression of the Grand Cru terroirs. The grapes are swiftly transported to the nearby press house to retain their freshness and avoid oxidation. This careful handling, combined with rigorous ripeness monitoring, is essential to achieving the cuvée’s hallmark finesse, tension, and expressive elegance.
Winemaking
Précieuse d’Ambroise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is vinified with an emphasis on purity and terroir expression. After gentle pressing, alcoholic fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures to preserve primary fruit freshness.
Ageing
The wine then undergoes extended aging on fine lees in bottle for 60 months according to the traditional Champagne method. This prolonged lees contact builds texture, enhances aromatic depth, and refines the delicate mousse. As an Extra Brut, the cuvée receives minimal dosage, allowing the pure expression of Chardonnay and the chalky terroir to shine through with striking clarity.
Varietal
Chardonnay : 100%
Specifications
Age of vines : 45 years old
Serving
Serve between 8°C and 12°C.
Ageing potential
5 to 10 years
Tasting
On visual inspection, this Champagne shows a pale golden hue with glints of green and a fine, persistent mousse. The nose opens with crisp citrus zest, white orchard fruits, and hints of white flowers, followed by subtle brioche and chalky mineral undertones. With aeration, complexity deepens, revealing green apple, lemon curd, and crushed oyster shell nuances. The palate is vibrant and precise, marked by lively acidity and a refined mineral backbone. Mid‑palate, the wine displays a silky texture with layered fruit and a restrained complexity, leading to a long, luminous finish characterized by citrus peel and saline freshness.
Food pairings
Précieuse d’Ambroise pairs beautifully with refined fare that complements its tension and minerality. As an appetizer, enjoy it with oysters on the half shell with yuzu mignonette, where its crisp acidity enhances briny luminous flavors. For a main course, it shines with poached scallops in beurre blanc with lemon thyme, the wine’s precision enhancing the silky seafood texture. A richer pairing features creamy risotto with white asparagus and shaved Parmesan, where its vibrancy cuts through richness. On the sweeter side, it delights with a light lemon panna cotta with raspberry coulis, the citrus interplay accentuating the Champagne’s fresh, saline finish.