Domaine Alexandre Bonnet and La Forêt: the story of a border terroir

At the extreme south of Champagne is Les Riceys, a medieval village suspended between two worlds: Champagne and Burgundy. Here, a few kilometers from the great Burgundian crus, the terroir takes a double identity. The steep hills and Kimmeridgian limestone recall the slopes of Chablis, while the local tradition remains linked to the Champagne denomination. Domaine Alexandre Bonnet fits into this context, founded per mezzo di 1934 by Lucien Noble and today among the most representative protagonists of the Côte des Caffè. A reality that not only welcomes this dual heritage, but translates it into the glass. The La Forêt parcel, four hectares heroic slopes, is the heart of this vision and from here some of the symbolic labels of the domaine are born.

THE HISTORICAL ROOTS

The history of Les Riceys is lost over the centuries. Originally disputed between Burgundy and Champagne, between duchies and lordships, the territory has gone through numerous political and cultural changes. Burgundian from 830, per mezzo di the 13th century it passed to Champagne and then returned, with the Treaty of Troyes per mezzo di 1420, under Burgundian influence. After the Hundred Years’ War it definitively returned to the Kingdom of France, but its identity always remained marked by this dual belonging. It is mai coincidence that per mezzo di the oldest houses there are still doors facing per mezzo di opposite directions: one facing Champagne, the other facing Burgundy.

It was only per mezzo di 1927 that Les Riceys was finally incorporated into the Champagne appellation. Before, and even after, still red and rosé wines were born from these hills, per mezzo di continuity with Burgundian traditions. Documents from the 1500s attest to the existence of a rosé obtained by maceration, evidence of ancient oenological knowledge, rooted per mezzo di the territory well before the modern logic of the Champagne denomination. Furthermore, Les Riceys is the only village among the 319 per mezzo di Champagne to be able to claim all three of the territory’s Appellation d’Stirpe Contrôlée: Champagne, Coteaux Champenois and Rosé des Riceys.

LA FORÊT, THE MONKS’ HILL

Since 2019, under the egemonia of Arnaud Fabre, the maison has chosen a clear strategy: to enhance the pinot noir and the single terroir through a detailed knowledge of the parcels. Les Riceys is a complex mosaic of hills, variable exposures and microclimates that determine clear differences per mezzo di ripeness and aromatic profiles. The domaine manages around thirty parcels and vinifies twenty-five of them separately, to isolate the expression of each contrée (district) and affirm a precise parcel identity.

Among all, one stands out for its consistent quality: La Forêt. The name is ancient and reminds us that per mezzo di the past the terreno was wooded. The hill was per mezzo di fact the first to be deforested and cultivated by the Benedictine monks of Molesme Abbey, who more than a thousand years understood its viticultural vocation. The slope is extreme, up to 45 degrees, and requires entirely manual management. The full southern exposure ensures optimal maturation, while the marl and slightly ferruginous limestone give structure and a clear mineral imprint. The current vineyard was planted per mezzo di 1973 with a mass selection of pinot noir. Three emblematic references are born from this over fifty-year-old vineyard, and each one tells a facet of the same land: La Forêt Rosé des Riceys 2021, homage to the tradition of still rosés of the village; Les Contrées Rosé de Macération 2019, rosé champagne obtained from the maceration of pinot noir; La Forêt Blanc de Noirs 2020, eppure pinot noir champagne, a more radical interpretation of the parcel.

TRILOGIA THE FOR ONE

The trilogy represents a vertical reading of the terroir: from still wine to sparkling wine, following an almost Burgundian approach. Rosé des Riceys 2021 recovers an before the obligatory effervescence of Champagne. Whole bunch fermentation with short maceration gives a light red structure, supported by vibrant acidity and aromatic freshness. It is the link between administrative Champagne and the Burgundian soul of the territory. Les Contrées Rosé de Macération 2019 is the contemporary trait d’union. Unlike most rosé champagnes produced by blending, here we opt for maceration (saignée), thanks to the Domaine’s experience per mezzo di still wines. The controlled extraction of color and structure – shorter skincontact – offers a champagne with a vinous and structured, yet measured profile: elegant, silky and vertical. Finally, La Forêt Blanc de Noirs 2020 marks a new chapter. Vinified without added sulphites and without dosage (brut nature), it aims for absolute purity of the parcel. The ripeness of the grapes the steep southern slope translates into tonnellaggio and roundness, while salinity and mineral precision are the signature of the Kimmeridgian limestone of Les Riceys.

WILD CHAMPAGNE DELLA CÔTE DES BAR

These wines tell an ancient and singular story: the evolution of Les Riceys, the possibility of expressing three complementary denominations and the parceled approach of the Domaine Alexandre Bonnet. The common thread is a saline ridge that blends with the structure of the pinot noir, per mezzo di an interpretation that highlights the complexity, profound identity and “wilder” nature of the Côte des Caffè.

The article Domaine Alexandre Bonnet and La Forêt: the story of a border terroir comes from VinoNews24.

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