“Roc Solare” refers to a sun-exposed, rocky terroir, highlighting the influence of warmth and stone on the character of the wine, and it is Dhondt-Grellet’s expression of this site where warmer conditions bring riper fruit and greater depth while preserving the house’s signature chalky minerality and precision, with the cuvée based on the Gallets de Silex assemblage where flint-rich soils contribute a distinctive smoky, flinty mineral tension that enhances the wine’s structure and energy.
Style
A balanced and versatile Extra Brut Champagne, combining Chardonnay freshness with Pinot Noir structure. Elegant, textured, and complex.
Vineyard
Sourced from selected Premier and Grand Cru parcels, with a focus on the Côte des Blancs and Pinot Noir sites. Chalk and clay soils provide minerality, freshness, and structure.
Winery
Fermented in stainless steel and oak barrels, with a significant proportion of reserve wines for depth and consistency. Aged approximately 24–36 months on lees.
Production
Non-vintage cuvée. Extra Brut, approximately 2–4 g/L dosage.
Nose / Palate
Citrus, ripe apple, yellow fruit, light spice, and subtle brioche. Fresh yet round, with lively acidity, fine creamy mousse, mineral undertones, and a long, harmonious finish.
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.
Dhondt-Grellet is a small, family-run grower in the Côte des Blancs, now led by Adrien Dhondt, one of the most exciting voices of the new Champagne generation. Taking over at a young age, Adrien transformed the estate - farming around 6 hectares of Grand and Premier Cru vineyards - with a focus on living soils, organic and biodynamic principles, and meticulous parcel work.
Deeply inspired by Burgundy, his approach prioritizes ripeness, texture, and terroir expression, with nearly all wines fermented and aged in oak barrels using native yeasts and minimal intervention. Each cuvée is precise and site-driven, often highlighting individual plots from villages like Cramant and Cuis, resulting in wines that are both mineral and richly structured.
Production remains limited, and the style is unmistakable - pure, layered, and intensely vinous Champagnes that bridge the finesse of the Côte des Blancs with a deeper, more textural expression. Dhondt-Grellet stands as a benchmark for modern grower Champagne, combining craftsmanship, curiosity, and a strong sense of place.
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