Dhondt Grellet Champagne Extra Brut Roc Solare NV 750ml

Derived from vines planted between 1965 and 1975 in the Coteaux du Sézannais and based on the 2022 vintage, complemented by 30% reserve wines drawn from a perpetual reserve initiated in 1986, the second edition of NV Extra-Brut Roc Solare is showing superbly. Disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of one gram per liter, the wine unfurls in the glass with aromas of lemon confit, dried flowers and iodine, mingled with sandalwood and smoky reduction. On the palate, it is full-bodied and concentrated, driven by succulent yet racy acidity and culminating in a long, chalky finish. One should anticipate a more generous expression than Dhondt’s wines from the Côte des Blancs; yet, with quality of this caliber, it can hardly be regarded as an entry-level cuvée. Readers familiar with my previous article will recall that the grapes are sourced from plots in two villages—Barbonne-Fayel (planted in 1974–1975) and Fontaine Denis (planted in 1965, 1967 and 1969)—characterized by deeper soils and silex pebbles, which release a distinctly flinty aroma when struck together. The blend is predominantly Chardonnay, with a small proportion—averaging around 10%—of Pinot Noir. Like the rest of the range, it is vinified entirely in wood, though in the case of Roc Solare, only about 20% of the barrels are new.