Michel Genet

Chouilly lies at the gateway to the Côte des Blancs, and this is where the Genet family is at home. They have been working vines in Chouilly since 1885. Michel Genet launched his own champagne in 1965, although some sources give 1960 as the founding year. Today the house still bears the name of the father. It operates as a récoltant-manipulant, so the grapes come from the family's own vineyards.

Three siblings, one manufacture

Today the children Vincent, Antoine and Agnès run the estate. Vincent and Antoine succeeded their father in 1997. The three see themselves as "manufacteurs", from manufacture, meaning "fait main", made by hand. Their champagnes are made in Chouilly in the building known as "Le Transvaal", the oldest part of which dates from 1900.

Vineyards and way of working

The estate covers 10.5 hectares, spread over a good 40 plots in Chouilly and Cramant. Other sources give around 9 hectares. About 8 hectares of this are Chardonnay grand cru, with a small share of Pinot Noir. The vines are 35 years old on average. The soils are chalky.

The family aims for as natural a way of farming as possible, using organic fertilisers and controlled crop protection. The harvest is done by hand by their own team. Each site goes into the cellar separately and is vinified plot by plot in temperature-controlled tanks. Annual production is around 80,000 bottles.

Cuvées and visits

The core of the range is MG BB Nature, a blanc de blancs from 100 per cent Chardonnay, with a dosage of 2.5 g/l. MG BB Spirit is dosed at 8 g/l (brut). Other cuvées include Author 2015, MG BB Vintage 2019, Redblend 9208 and MG BB Sugr Vision. The Redblend is a rosé with 92 per cent Chardonnay.

Visitors are welcome at the estate, where you can see the presses and the fermentation cellar. It is open Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:00. Guided visits are available on request, in French. Booking is advisable. Telephone: +33 3 26 55 40 51.