Champagne Girard Bonnet
Girard-Bonnet is a new estate situated in the Grand Cru village of Les Mesnil sur-Oger, nestled in the heart of the Cote des Blancs. Owned by Paul Girard, a young and passionate vigneron born in 1995, the estate merges his father Philippe Girard’s holdings in Les Mesnil with his mother Dominique Bonnet’s holdings in Oger. Their twelve hectares of vineyard land are evenly divided between these two revered Grand Crus. Paul returned home in 2018 after completing studies in viticulture and enology in Avize, followed by a double master’s degree in Wine Management and Business in Bordeaux, and immediately embarked on this new venture. Paul is committed to organic viticulture, having obtained certification in 2022 and is in the process of Demeter certification for his vineyards in 2023, a journey he initiated four years ago. The health of the vineyards and soil forms the foundation for the quality of wines he produces.
Following pressing, the must undergoes fermentation and elevage in either barrels or stainless steel, the choice of vessel depending entirely on the wine. Fermentation occurs with natural yeasts, and during elevage, the wines are kept on the full lees to shield them from oxidation. Paul meticulously monitors and tastes each barrel, stating, “For me, I am not against sulfur, but when your wine is on lees, you don’t need it. This is why I keep the wine in contact with the lees until five days before bottling. I taste every barrel and every tank a lot. If the tank is taking the wrong direction, then I can give some SO2 and I can work with it. Every barrel, every tank is different, so you must work with this precision.�
Due to the prolonged period in barrels without SO2, malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, although not in every barrel. Paul prefers to delay bottling until late, typically in the beginning of August. Presently, production at the estate remains modest as Paul invests and expands organically. While he currently sells a majority of the fruit he farms, production is increasing each year in his newly completed cellar in 2023.
Paul’s inaugural bottling, Mi-Chemin (“middle of the path�), is a non-vintage wine, blending half Oger and half Les Mesnil, “just like me,� Paul remarks. The wine impresses, marrying the plush florality and ripe fruit of Oger with the saline and rigid structure of Les Mesnil. Paul is actively experimenting, crafting several non-vintage wines alongside a selection of compelling parcellaire wines sourced from exceptional holdings in Les Mesnil & Oger. We are delighted to present this emerging talent, carving his own trajectory in the Cote.
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