Journey to the Heart of Bubbles: Four Days, Four Champagne Houses, and Countless Memories

Journey to the Heart of Bubbles: Four Days, Four Champagne Houses, and  Countless Memories  

When bubbles dance in a glass, it feels like simple beauty. But behind every sip of  Champagne are years of patience, precision, inspiration, and people with enormous  hearts.  

This spring, together with a group of like-minded friends, we travelled to Champagne —  not only to taste, but to meet, listen, and understand the stories behind the bottles. Over  four days, we visited four completely different yet equally remarkable Champagne  houses: Alexandre Bonnet, Laherte Frères, Bonnet-Ponson, and Pierre Gimonnet. Each 

has its own style, rhythm, and truth. But they all share one thing: love for wine. For the  land. For what they do.  

All these producers are also part of the Time To Wine Rotermanni selection — and for  us, it is a true privilege to work directly with them and import their wines ourselves. It  allows us to bring to Estonia Champagnes made by real people, whose hands,  vineyards, and stories we know personally.  

Our journey began in Les Riceys, the southernmost village in Champagne, where Pinot  Noir thrives under the gentle sun. The house of Alexandre Bonnet greets guests with  quiet elegance and deep respect for its terroir. We were guided by Nicolas Dupuis —  kind, attentive, and genuinely passionate — who led us through the vineyards, where  we tasted Champagne surrounded by the vines themselves.  

To taste wine where it was born is a rare feeling. You see the soil, breathe in the air,  feel the wind — and somehow all of it becomes part of the aroma in your glass. The  wines of Alexandre Bonnet are ripe, generous, and honest. They don’t need to  announce themselves loudly — they simply stay with you.  

Next stop was the village of Chavot near Épernay. Laherte Frères is one of the brightest  stars among new-generation grower Champagne makers. Their philosophy is rooted in  biodynamics, minimal intervention, and complete trust in nature. At the heart of it all is  Aurélien Laherte — quiet, precise, and deeply devoted to his craft. His wines are like  handwritten letters: sincere, layered, and alive. “Nature de Craie” — chalky, fresh, and  slightly saline. These wines don’t shout. They whisper — and reach straight to the heart.  

In Chamery, we were welcomed by Cyril Bonnet, calmly watering flowers in front of his  home. From the first moments — a smile, a joke, a sparkle in his eyes. It’s immediately  clear: he makes Champagne the way he lives — with joy, kindness, and warmth. His  wines are clean, energetic, and full of life. Especially memorable was “Seconde Nature”  — made without sulfites, unfiltered, yet strikingly pure, mineral, and bright. Cyril is the  sixth generation of Bonnet winemakers, yet his approach feels fresh, free, and full of  modern sensibility. “Organic isn’t a choice,” he says. “It’s a way of life.” And when you  meet him — you believe it.  

Our final stop was Pierre Gimonnet & Fils in Cuis, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs.  Here, the king is Chardonnay — and the man who has mastered it, Didier Gimonnet,  embodies wit, precision, and elegance. We met in the house where he grew up, now  serving as the family office, still filled with warmth and stories. Didier swears by  stainless steel: “Oak kills elegance,” he says. A touch of dosage, on the other hand,  allows the wine to breathe and unfold. We tasted “Gastronome”, “Cuis 1er Cru”, and the  legendary Special Club from Cramant. Everything was balanced, layered, and full of 

character. These are not wines that try to impress — they are wines for those already  enchanted.  

And yes — from the end of August, Pierre Gimonnet Champagnes will officially be  available at Time To Wine Rotermanni.  

Champagne is not about status or shiny labels. It’s about people — their thoughts, their  doubts, their care. It’s about hands in the soil and eyes that shine when they speak of  their harvest. If you ever find yourself in Champagne, take the side road. Visit a village.  Knock on a door. Listen. Maybe someone will open a bottle that isn’t just wine — but a  story you’ll carry with you for a long time.