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Champagne Michel Genet: handcrafted Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from the heart of Chouilly
History and heritage: Michel Genet – an artisan of Grand Cru Champagne
Champagne Michel Genet is a small, family-run Champagne house with roots reaching deep into the Grand Cru village of Chouilly in the Côte des Blancs. The Genet family’s winemaking traditions began more than a century ago, when they grew grapes for other producers.
In 1965 the family patriarch Michel Genet, that their grapes deserved to be expressed in their own right, and founded the house that bears his name. Since then, the Genets have been récoltant-manipulant — they grow their own grapes, make the wine on site and control the entire process from start to finish.
Today the house is run by Michel’s children Vincent, Antoine and Agnès. Their approach is deeply personal and meticulous: every vineyard row, every pressing and every cuvée comes into being under the family’s own hand.
Particularly important to the house is a concept that expresses their identity “Manufacteurs de Grands Crus” – makers of handcrafted Grand Cru Champagnes. The word manufacteur (Latin manu factum – “handmade”) emphasises both their craftsmanship and their philosophical commitment to an honest expression of their terroir and heritage.
Internationally, the house has earned a strong reputation and won prestigious awards, including Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2019. Their Blanc de Blancs won a Grand Gold Medal there and the title „Révélation” as one of the best Champagnes in the competition — a remarkable accolade for such a small, detail-focused producer.
Chouilly Grand Cru – the foundation of Michel Genet's Champagnes
Michel Genet makes Champagne exclusively from Grand Cru grapes. At the heart of the house is Chouilly, one of the 17 Grand Cru villages in the Champagne region. Chouilly lies in the northern part of the Côte des Blancs, right next to Épernay, and is known as one of the finest areas Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Chouilly terroir' key principles:
95% of the plantings are Chardonnay
pure limestone and chalk soil gives the wines minerality and a linear structure
a gentle, rather cool microclimate yields aromatically pure wines with high acidity
compared with the more southerly villages of the Côte des Blancs, Chouilly offers a slightly rounder Chardonnay with a creamier texture
Michel Genet has around 9 hectares Grand Cru vineyards, of which:
7.6 ha are Chardonnay,
1.4 ha of Pinot Noir, used mainly for making rosé.
The average vine age is 35 years, which gives the wines depth and complexity.
In addition, their vineyards are divided into 37 separate plots, which is vinified separately — this allows each terroir' nuance precisely in the cuvée later on.
Sustainable, nature-friendly viticulture
The family practises lutte raisonnée principle:
organic soil improvers
minimal use of pesticides
preserving soil biodiversity
full hand-harvesting every year
They hold a firm conviction: great Champagne always begins in the vineyard. As a result, soil health and the balance of nature are given priority at every step.
Winemaking – natural, precise and reliant on time
Michel Genet is characterised by a pure, transparent winemaking style that respects the terroir. Their technical choices are minimalist, aimed at bringing out the natural elegance of Chardonnay.
Separate vinification for each vineyard plot
Each plot is pressed and fermented separately — giving them the means to create blends that express the nuances of the Chouilly terroir as precisely as possible.
Malolactic fermentation on the lees
All the main base wines go through malolactic fermentation, which:
softens the acidity
adds creaminess and structure
brings notes of freshly baked bread, brioche and a nutty timbre
Long ageing on the lees
Genet Champagnes age considerably longer than the Champagne minimum requirements:
NV cuvées: a minimum of 3 years
Vintages: around 5 years
Author (top cuvée): up to 9 years before disgorgement
This ensures an exceptionally fine mousse and aromatic complexity.
Very low dosage
Produced mainly:
Brut (~7–8 g/L)
Brut Nature (2.5 g/L)
Demi-Sec (Sugar Vision – 30–35 g/L)
Low-dosage Champagnes let the terroir shine, producing wines that are:
crystal clear
mineral
elegant
naturally balanced
Every bottle is riddled and disgorged by the house’s own staff.