Dhondt-Grellet Les Terres Fines

"Adrien Dhondt's progress continues, and these new releases represent another qualitative step up for this promising young vigneron. Increasingly refined barrel choices in the cellar and agronomic progress in the vineyards—where Dhondt is increasingly raising the trellising to deliver bigger canopies, and experimenting with algae treatments against mildew—translate into wines with all the breadth and texture that one expects at this address, but with additional precision, tension and intensity. Dhondt considers 2019 to be the most exciting vintage of his career to date, and that, too, surely contributes to what are the most exciting releases to date for his entry-level bottlings, wines that are far from ordinary. The next step is surely to push for longer aging sur lattes across the range, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and it's very hard to argue with the results Dhondt is achieving already, even if he's only at the beginning of his career. For more details concerning Dhondt's methods, readers are directed to my feature on the estate in Issue 250 (End of August 2020) of The Wine Advocate. Lovers of vinous, characterful, artisanal Champagne will want to make a special effort to track down these brilliant wines." - William Kelley, robertparker.com