Champagne Girard-Bonnet is a young grower estate on the Côte des Blancs, formed in 2018 from the union of two long-established winegrowing families: the Girards of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and the Bonnets of Oger. Paul Girard, son of Philippe Girard and Dominique Bonnet, trained in viticulture and enology in Avize before completing a business degree in Bordeaux, then returned home to combine his parents' twelve hectares into a single estate spanning two of Champagne's seventeen Grand Cru villages. The vineyards have been certified Organic and Biodynamic (Demeter) since 2023, and Paul vinifies parcel by parcel, relying on wild yeasts, extended lees aging, and minimal sulfur to let each site speak clearly.

Les Mussettes is a single parcel in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, planted via massale selection in 1971 and farmed on deep colluvial clay and limestone over Campanian chalk. The 2020 fruit was pressed and fermented with native yeasts, aged partly in oak barrel and partly in stainless steel, then rested on its lees for more than four years before a November 2025 disgorgement. Dosed at a bracing 2 grams per liter (Extra Brut), this 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs is built on tension and salinity rather than sheer richness.

Why You'll Love It

• A taut, mineral-driven Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru with real chalky backbone.
• Aromas of Granny Smith apple, jasmine, lemon oil, and oyster shell.
• Medium-to-full-bodied palate with a crisp fruit core and bracing acidity.
• A long, saline finish that lingers well past the last sip.
• Rated 93 points by Wine Advocate for its "tightly wound and incisive" character.
• Versatile enough for a celebratory toast or a full seafood dinner.

How To Serve It

• Chill to 45-48°F before opening.
• No decanting needed; pour straight from the bottle.
• Serve in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass to let the chalky aromatics open up.
• Pair with freshly shucked oysters and a Champagne-shallot mignonette, or seared scallops with brown butter and sea salt.