“A Meticulous Parcel-Based Approach à la Bourguignonne”

Maison Penet is a cornerstone of the Champagne wine region: a family-owned vineyard for over 4 centuries, it is now led by Alexandre Penet. Despite his unconventional path, Alexandre was destined for this role. “I grew up there. From a young age, I helped my father on the property.” After studying engineering in arts and crafts and a career with major international groups in France and abroad, Alexandre returned to France in 2008 to take the reins of the estate. “The question had been on the table for some time. So, I took over the estate with the mission of enhancing its reputation by focusing on a niche of high-quality Champagne with low dosage,” Alexandre explains.

“Freshness, Complexity, and Low Dosage” Are the Watchwords of Maison Penet

Never daunted by the prospect of further studies, Alexandre, keen to deepen his knowledge of winemaking, enrolled in an oenology course at the University of Reims alongside his arrival at Maison Penet. “A third string to my bow,” he smiles. Spanning 6 hectares of vines, Maison Penet leverages diversity with a varied range of Champagne wines: aperitif Champagnes with gourmet aromas, blanc de blancs, grand crus, vintage Champagnes, and more. For all Champagne wines, Maison Penet adheres to a precise line: “freshness, complexity, and low dosage.”

The “Alexandre Penet” range specializes in the production of extra brut Champagnes, with zero or very low sugar dosage. The Grand Crus in the “Penet-Chardonnay” range also have their own uniqueness, being vinified using a parcel-based approach “à la bourguignonne,” a method introduced by Alexandre and rare in Champagne. “During my oenology studies, I observed that when we vinified parcels separately, the same specific characteristics emerged over the vintages: that’s why I concluded that this micro-terroir culture, so common in Burgundy, also made sense in Champagne. This specific and precise approach is what I call the haute couture of Champagne,” the winemaker comments.

Crémant d’Alsace & Franco-Argentinian Sparkling Wine

Determined to stand out, Alexandre doesn’t limit himself to Champagne production: he also offers a Crémant d’Alsace cuvée. “My wife is Alsatian. I decided to pay tribute to her roots by creating the cuvée ‘Comte de Grimm,’ a low-dosage, high-quality product that is less expensive than Champagne. We also have a partnership with an Argentine producer, with whom we created the cuvée ‘Éclat,’ an extra-brut Franco-Argentinian sparkling wine.”

Tastings and Pairings with Chefs

Aware of the growing impact of oenotourism on the wine industry, Alexandre aims to make Maison Penet a pioneer in this field. For the past 4 years, the winemaker has regularly organized guided tours of the estate and vineyard visits, where guests can learn about the parcel-based approach that has become Maison Penet’s hallmark. “We also host special tastings with food pairings, featuring chefs we bring directly to the estate,” Alexandre adds.