Colette Bonnet operates 2.24 hectares of organic vines located in the commune of Noé les Mallets, located in the Côte des Bar. She is based in a small village named Eguilly-Sous-Bois, about 1.5 hours south of Reims city center and pretty close to Burgundy. The various parcels she owns are planted with Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The average age of her vines ~20 years. The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian soil with clay-limestone marls. The landscape, soil and terroir is truly spectacular.

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Colette’s domaine and the family history go back to 1911, where her great uncle, Henri Barrois and her grand mother Marie Barrois were involved in the revolt of the winegrowers of la Côte des Bar, then suffering after a plague of phylloxera that ravaged the vines. With their peers they participated in the movement resulting in the Aube county being united with the Champagne wine region. Henri was only 26 years old. Having no heirs, Henri passed on his vineyards to Colette's parents, Marcel and Marie, the second generation of winegrowers to run the family vineyards. Colette gifted with a great sensitivity and a passionate soul, and inspired by the legacy of her great uncle decides to leave Burgundy where she is working, to train and work the vines and the wine. She settles in Champagne where she takes over the family farm at 26 years old and represents the third generation.

 

A revelation occurred to Colette during a study trip with a group of young winegrowers in Burgundy in Montrachet in 1998. As a result of this time in Burgundy she began her first trials in organic viticulture in 1999 accompanied by biodynamic pioneering consultants. The first organic harvest started in 2009. Today Colette is one of the very few female producers certified organic and biodynamic. She is extremely hands-on in every aspect of the wine making process from the daily cultivation of the vineyards, the vinification process, and all the meticulous steps it takes to get her wines into the consumers glass. She has also been successful in influencing other family members who grow grapes in the area to practice organic farming. Keeping the practice in the family, being kind to the environment, and working with nature is all part of her philosophy and in her DNA. She constantly sees nature as an ecosystem that she respects and observes.

 

Colette sells some of her grapes to some well known and respected houses who do not have the ability to produce their own organic grapes. Fortunately for us she keeps the best grapes for her own wines. Production for Champagne Bonnet is fairly small around 5,000 bottles per annum. Champagne Bonnet is certified both Organic AB and Ecocert biodynamic.

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