2004 Nude Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru Champagne, Michel Gonet, Avize ($68)
“If you enjoy the racy, nervy balance of a great wine from the Mosel….you will love this tense, electric, Chardonnay-based Champagne, made from 50-60 yr. old 100% Grand Cru vineyards on the dynamic slope of my favorite town, Mesnil. The name refers to the relatively low dosage; this is a clean, sleek, bursting-with-life Champagne, with aged nuances, that is a palate-igniter at the start of a meal. Also a great cut-through for rich foods, like salmon.”- David Rosengarten
The Michel Gonet estate was established in 1802 by Charles Gonet and today, seven generations later, is run by Michel Gonet’s daughter Sophie. Champagne Michel Gonet is today a chardonnay specialist owning 40 hectares of vineyards that stretch across the best terroirs for this grape variety. The Gonet’s vineyards in the Cote des Blancs are located in Oger and Le Mesnil sur Oger. Their vineyards in the Cotes des Blancs face east with extremely chalky subsoil.