Champagne Maurice Gonel

Champagne house in Damery, Vallée de la Marne.

Village

Damery

Region

Vallée de la Marne

Type of house

RM · Récoltant Manipulant

Founded

1931

Cuvées in the guide

7

Champagne Maurice Gonel et Fils is an independent wine producer (récoltant-manipulant) based in Damery, 7 kilometres from Épernay, with a history going back to 1931.

History

• The business officially began in 1931 when Maurice and Léone Gonel commercialised their champagnes under their own name; the current operation was built in 1954.
• In 1972 their son Paul "Nénet" Gonel took over the management, followed by his wife Lucienne in 1977.
• Paul Gonel enlarged the underground limestone caves by hand between 1977 and 2015 from 135 to 300 metres, with a capacity of 80,000 bottles.
• Since 2000 the estate has been run by their son Guillaume and his partner Camille, who continue the family business with modern investments, such as a new pressoir in 2007.

Vineyards and Terroir

• The estate manages 4.5 hectares of vineyards around Damery, with an average vine age of 30 years.
• The grape varieties are divided as follows: 60% Meunier (for fruit and freshness), 20% Chardonnay (for finesse and minerality) and 20% Pinot Noir (for structure and power).
• The vines are trained on systems such as Chablis, Vallée de la Marne and Cordon.

Winemaking and Sustainability

• Maurice Gonel applies sustainable viticultural practices and has been certified with the HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) and VDC (Viticulture Durable en Champagne) labels since May 2021.
• Environmentally friendly methods include green leaf removal, mechanical soil cultivation, sexual confusion (RAK) to avoid pesticides, and striving for zero herbicides.
• The vinification takes place in a traditional limestone cave at a constant 10°C, where the champagne ages for at least three years on the fermentation bottles (except for rosé).

Champagnes

• The range includes various cuvées, including Brut, Grande Réserve, Blanc de Blancs and a 100% Meunier.
• More recent innovations are the rosé made by the saignée method (100% Pinot Noir) and the cuvée "Immersion" (50% Chardonnay, 50% Meunier), which is known for its balance between finesse and power.
• The premium Cuvée Hommage is complex and offers aromas of wood, nuts and mocha coffee, often paired with mushroom dishes.
• The house offers cave visits and tastings, and sometimes organises unique experiences such as the "Randonel" (wine walk) or rides in a classic Citroën HY van.

Cuvées by Maurice Gonel

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