NV Dhondt-Grellet "Roc Solare" Extra Brut, Champagne, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Roc Solare is a multi-vintage cuvée composed primarily of Chardonnay, sourced from old vines in Premier and Grand Cru villages including Avize, Cramant, and Cuis. A small portion of Pinot Noir may be blended depending on the base vintage, but the wine is always Chardonnay-driven in style. Fruit is farmed biodynamically and hand-harvested at full ripeness. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in neutral Burgundy barrels, with aging on fine lees to build texture and complexity.

The wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation, and there is no fining or filtration. Dosage is kept low (Extra Brut, ~2g/L), allowing the purity of the fruit and the layered salinity of the chalk terroirs to take center stage. Non-vintage by designation, Roc Solare includes reserve wines aged in a perpetual solera, contributing depth, oxidative character, and savory complexity to the blend.

Expect aromas of yellow plum, preserved lemon, toasted almond, and sea spray, with a palate that’s both rich and crystalline, finishing with drive and a flicker of oxidative intrigue.

Best enjoyed with aged Comté, roast chicken with morels, or uni over warm rice—dishes that match its umami and textural complexity.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Dhondt-Grellet, under the direction of Adrien Dhondt since 2012, has become a benchmark in the grower Champagne world for its detail-driven, terroir-expressive wines. Based in Flavigny, the domaine works just over 6 hectares of Chardonnay-dominant vineyards, mostly in the Côte des Blancs, all farmed biodynamically (uncertified).

Adrien’s vision combines vineyard sensitivity with minimalist cellar work: native yeasts, old oak, low sulfur, and extended lees aging. His approach is deeply Burgundian in spirit, treating each vineyard as a singular voice within the Champagne landscape.

Roc Solare is the estate’s most exploratory bottling—built not around a village or cru, but around a philosophy of energy (solare) and geological identity (roc). It embodies Dhondt’s drive to redefine Champagne as a transparent, living expression of place and time.