Franck Bonville : Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru by Franck Bonville

Tasting

Appearance
This Champagne reveals a bright, luminous pale yellow colour, enlivened by a very fine mousse that rises from the bottom of the glass in a steady stream.

Nose
The nose opens with delicate notes of white flowers and acacia, followed by aromas of green apple, white peach and citrus. Touches of fresh bread and brioche, brought by ageing on the lees, mingle with chalky nuances and a hint of almond, a typical signature of Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs.

Palate
The attack is crisp and incisive, driven by a lively, perfectly integrated acidity. The mid-palate, lemony and mineral, unfolds with a slender, dynamic texture, while the long, mouthwatering finish ends on a subtle salinity reminiscent of the chalk of the terroir.

Food and wine pairings

This Champagne is a natural choice as an aperitif, where its freshness and finesse gently awaken the palate. It also pairs beautifully with seafood and delicate fish, for a harmony with a briny touch, as well as with a wide range of cheeses, from soft bloomy-rind cheeses to pressed cheeses, including mild blue cheeses. White meats also find a well-balanced partner in it.

Serving and cellaring

The non-vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is best served chilled, at a temperature between 8 and 10°C, ideally in a glass that allows the finesse of its aromas to be fully appreciated.

A Refined, Saline Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru from the Côte des Blancs

The estate

The Champagne House Franck Bonville was born in Avize following the 1959 harvest, when Franck Bonville began marketing his own wine under this name. The House, which has remained in the family, is now led by Olivier Bonville, the fourth generation of winegrowers, who continues the work begun in 1996 on the grands crus of the Côte des Blancs. Dedicated exclusively to Chardonnay and certified High Environmental Value since 2016, the estate cultivates around fifteen hectares without buying in grapes, thus guaranteeing complete control over its cuvées.

The vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come mainly from the Champagne Grand Cru villages of Avize and Oger, occasionally complemented by Cramant depending on the bottling. The vines, with an average age of around forty years, are planted on the chalky soils characteristic of the Côte des Blancs, at altitudes of between 110 and 220 metres, where the outcropping chalk gives the Chardonnays their tension and saline character. The vineyard is managed with a demanding environmental approach, in the spirit of organic viticulture, and the grapes are harvested by hand.

The blend

This Brut cuvée blends a recent harvest with reserve wines, in pursuit of a consistent style. The freshness and aromatic intensity of the latest harvest are thus combined with the generosity and complexity contributed by older wines, allowing each year's release to reflect the house's identity faithfully.

Vinification and ageing

The non-vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is vinified in stainless steel tanks, a choice that favours aromatic neutrality and preserves the purity of the fruit. This technical approach, inherited from the modernisation of the production facilities undertaken between the 1970s and 1990s, highlights the minerality derived from the chalky soils of the Côte des Blancs.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay