Domaine Dhondt Grellet, Côte des Blancs: 10 Sensational Champagnes

Domaine Dhondt Grellet is a small producer in Côte des Blancs in the Champagne wine region. 

The winery produces Blanc de Blancs and other traditional Champagne blends made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. 

Let’s find out all about Dhondt Grellet, including ten sensational wines, food pairing tips, vineyards, and winemaking practices.

A Brief Intro To Dhondt Grellet

Eric Dhondt and Edit Grellet established Domaine Dhondt Grellet in 1986. 

That’s when they stopped selling their grapes to negociants and began producing some of the most honest Champagnes in the Côte des Blancs. 

The prestigious Champagne Dhondt Grellet is now run by Adrien Dhondt (son of Edit and Eric Dhondt) - voted Winemaker of the Year 2017 in the Trophées Champenois. 

Adrien Dhondt has expanded the range of Grand Cru and Premier Crusparkling wines produced at the estate. These include:

• Assemblages: This range of traditional Champagne blends are made with grapes from Sezanne, Avenay Val dOr, and Cuis.

• Blanc de Blancs: These wines are made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. The winery also produces a few vintage Blanc de Blancs. The dosage is roughly 4 grams of sugar per liter.

• Rose Champagnes: The Dhondt Grellet Rose vintage and non-vintage Champagnes are made using 100% Pinot Noir grapes. 

10 Sensational Dhondt Grellet Wines You Must Try

Here are some of the most exquisite Champagnes from Domaine Dhondt Grellet: 

1. Dhondt-Grellet 'Dans un Premier Temps' Brut, France ($61)
2. Dhondt-Grellet Tradition Brut, France ($99)
3. Dhondt-Grellet Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France ($80)
4. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Bateau' Cramant Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Extra Brut, France ($252)
5. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Les Nogers' Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut, France ($123)
6. Dhondt-Grellet 'Les Terres Fines' Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut, France ($68) 
7. Dhondt-Grellet 'Prestige du Moulin' Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, France ($84)
8. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Mont de Fer' Premier Cru Extra Brut Rose, France ($134)
9. Dhondt-Grellet Premier Cru Brut Rose, France ($85)
10. Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Duo' Premier Cru Extra Brut Rose, France ($96)

1. Dhondt-Grellet 'Dans un Premier Temps' Brut, France ($61)

This wine blend comprises 50% Chardonnay from Sezanne, 30% Pinot Noir from Avenay Val dOr, and 20% Pinot Meunier from Cuis with a generous dose of solera reserve wines. It opens with dominant floral and citrus aromas, followed by delicious nutty and savory flavors on the palate. 

2. Dhondt-Grellet Tradition Brut, France ($99)

The Dhondt-Grellet Tradition Brut exudes dominant fresh fruit aromas with a citrusy undertone. The palate exhibits fine acidity and mineral notes, transitioning to a dry finish. 

3. Dhondt-Grellet Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France ($80)

This wine is made using 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes from the La Garennes and Les Longues Verges parcels. It opens with a delicate scent of grapes, followed by a dense palate of tropical fruit flavors and a well-balanced mineral finish. 

4. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Bateau' Cramant Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Extra Brut, France ($252)

This light-golden-hued sparkling wine reveals a beautiful brioche aroma with white peach and cinnamon bun undertones. It has an incredible mouthfeel with dominant apple and citrus oil flavors on the palate, followed by a lengthy, well-balanced finish.

5. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Les Nogers' Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut, France ($123)

This bottle of wine opens with dominant citrus oil, white flowers, and freshly baked bread aromas. It exhibits a chalky texture and lively acidity on the palate and is rated 96 points by William Kelley of the Wine Advocate. 

6. Dhondt-Grellet 'Les Terres Fines' Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut, France ($68)

This sparkling wine blend comprises 70% Chardonnay grapes from the Les Terres Fines parcel and 30% reserve wines dating back to 1986. It exudes seductive apricot, cream, and white peach aromas, followed by rich white flowers, almonds, and brioche flavors on the palate.

7. Dhondt-Grellet 'Prestige du Moulin' Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, France ($84)

This sparkler opens with dominant toast and ripe fruit aromas. It has a lingering citrus fruit undertone on the palate and a fine line of acidity, followed by a saline finish. 

8. 2015 Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Mont de Fer' Premier Cru Extra Brut Rose, France ($134)

This Extra Brut Rose wine exudes ripe red fruit and orange rind aromas with a hint of spice. 

It has juicy acidity with dominant sweet tangerine, blood orange, and strawberry flavors on the palate, followed by a long finish. The sugar dosage for this wine is roughly 3 grams per liter. 

9. Dhondt-Grellet Premier Cru Brut Rose, France ($85)

This sparkler is made from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir. It opens with dominant citrus aromas with hints of ripe fruit and toast, transitioning to a long, saline finish. 

10. Dhondt-Grellet 'Le Duo' Premier Cru Extra Brut Rose, France ($96)

This wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the Champagne Premier Cru region. It exhibits an elegant liveliness with fine, pleasant bubbles.

Dhondt Grellet: Serving And Food Pairing Tips

Serve your Dhondt Grellet sparklers at 8-10°C (47-50°F.)

These wines pair well with:

• Seafood
• Pork dishes 
• Oysters and salads

Domaine Dhondt Grellet: Vineyards And Viticulture

Domaine Dhondt Grellet comprises six hectares of Grand Cru and Premier Cru vine parcels in the Cramant and Cuis villages. 

Let’s take a closer look at the terroirs of these prestigious vineyards:

• Cramant: The average age of the vines in Cramant ranges between 55 to 70 years. This vineyard land comprises three Lieu-dits: 

• Le Bateau: This south-facing parcel is considered the best terroir of Cramant, planted with some of the oldest vines (dating back to 1951.) It has limestone, clay, and chalk soils, which hold very little moisture. 

• Les Longues Verges: This west-facing parcel comprises clay and chalky soil. 

• La Garenne: This parcel is located in the middle of Cramant and has mostly clay soil deposits. 

• Cuis: The average vine age here is roughly 45 years. It has a very similar terroir to Cramant and features nine different plots: 

  • Les Nogers
  • Les Blémonts
  • Les Basses Vignes
  • Les Blanchards
  • Les Sablonniéres
  • Les Charmiéres
  • Les Treilles
  • Les Côtes aux Vents
  • Les Terres Fines des Basses Vignes

In 2021, the winery adopted horse-drawn plowing and composting. The estate uses organic and biodynamic farming practices in all its vineyards. 

Winemaking At Champagne Dhondt Grellet

Let’s take a quick look at the estate’s winemaking process:  

• Fermentation: Head winemaker Adrien Dhondt prefers to ferment the wines in oak barrels. However, for the Dans Un Premier Temps, he uses a combination of oak barrels and INOX stainless steel tanks. 

The wines go through fermentation with indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 

• Secondary Fermentation: The secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle over 8 to 10 months. 

• Bâtonnage: The topping up and bâtonnage (lees stirring) régiments are based on tasting the vin clairs. All wines get a small dose of SO2 (average dosing is 40 ppm total.)

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