{"product_id":"2011-dhondt-grellet-les-pensees-blanc-de-blancs-premier-cru-extra-brut-champagne-france","title":"2011 Dhondt-Grellet \"Les Pensées\" Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, Extra Brut, Champagne, France","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THIS WINE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e2011 Les Pensées\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e vintage from\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eChampagne Dhondt-Grellet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eBlanc de Blancs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e made from 55-year-old vines located in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eCuis,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. The product of a delicate vintage, this long-aged champagne combines floral intensity, chalky depth, and a rich, elegant texture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eAdrien Dhondt conceived Les Pensées 2011 as a Blanc de Blancs of great purity, seeking a balance between maturity, precision, and length. Made from the estate's oldest vines, this vintage expresses itself with exceptional depth, amplified by extended aging and meticulous vinification inspired by Burgundy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe plot is located in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003ePremier Cru of Cuis , the historic terroir of the Dhondt family. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003echalky\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e soils provide a consistent water supply and a pronounced minerality. The altitude and moderate exposure give the Chardonnays a natural tension, floral freshness, and aromatic precision that characterize the great wines of Cuis.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe grapes are harvested at perfect ripeness, and only the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003efirst pressing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e is used. Adrien Dhondt's winemaking, \"in the Burgundian style,\" combines precision with respect for the fruit. There is no \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003echaptalization\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e , and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003emalolactic fermentation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e is fully completed to bring volume and complexity. The wine was bottled in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eMay 2012\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e and aged \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003efor 10 years on its lees\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e . Disgorgement in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eMay 2021\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e was accompanied by an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eExtra Brut dosage (1 g\/L)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e , highlighting the wine's natural balance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e2011\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e vintage was marked by contrasting weather conditions, demanding great care in the vineyard. In Cuis, the old vines preserved both freshness and ripeness, yielding expressive, floral, and vibrant Chardonnays. Thanks to its extended aging, Les Pensées 2011 now reveals a rare harmony of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003echalky tension, aromatic maturity, and creamy texture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"auto\"\u003e .\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THIS PRODUCER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eChampagne Dhondt-Grellet was established in 1986 in the village of Flavigny, just outside Avize, when Éric Dhondt and Édith Grellet chose to begin estate bottling their own wines. The Dhondt family, originally Belgian farmers, had acquired vineyards in the Sézannais in the 1960s, while the Grellet family is rooted in Cuis and Cramant. Starting with just two hectares, the domaine has since expanded to roughly three times its original size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eA new chapter began in 2012, when Adrien took over winemaking at the age of 22. Today, he works alongside his sister Alice in continuing to shape the domaine’s direction, refining its focus on Chardonnay grown across the Côte des Blancs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eSince the beginning, the family has maintained a perpetual reserve, forming a quiet but essential part of the domaine’s identity. Each year, a portion is drawn off for tirage and replenished with wine from the new vintage before being returned to barrel on its lees. The reserve is moved back to tank ahead of harvest, and the cycle repeats—ensuring continuity while keeping the barrels in constant use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eRecent vintages mark an important step in the domaine’s evolution. The 2021 harvest, in particular, forms the backbone of several key cuvées, often supported by reserve wines to balance the vintage’s natural tension. Wines such as \u003cem\u003eRoc Solaire\u003c\/em\u003e reflect a shift toward more structured, textural expressions, where élevage and fruit maturity play an increasingly central role alongside freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dhondt-Grellet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52461333938465,"sku":"210000021542","price":249.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0804\/6785\/3601\/files\/SSWINEBOTTLEPHOTOTEMPLATE_d1a0be81-10eb-4ad9-add6-9a2d521dcf96.png?v=1773947953","url":"https:\/\/perrineswine.com\/products\/2011-dhondt-grellet-les-pensees-blanc-de-blancs-premier-cru-extra-brut-champagne-france","provider":"PERRINE's WINE SHOP","version":"1.0","type":"link"}