History
Charles Gonet established the family house in 1802 under the name Gonet et Fils. Michel Gonet’s later independent development began when he and Annie left the family domaine and built a new cellar at Avize in 1973. The two dates describe separate stages of the family’s Champagne history.
Michel acquired Château Lesparre near Bordeaux in 1986. His children Sophie, Charles-Henri and Frédéric subsequently developed that side of the family business. The Bordeaux properties remain geographically distinct from the Champagne vineyards and from the two Champagne reception sites in Avize and Épernay.
Sophie established the Épernay Avenue address in 2011. The neo-Gothic mansion at 37 avenue de Champagne dates from 1896 and is known as Villa Signolle, using her married surname. The accommodation’s room names, including Léontine Louise, Micheline and Charles Innocent, introduce additional family references within the residence.
The Champagne estate connects Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Avize in the Côte des Blancs with Vindey in the Sézannais, Montgueux near Troyes and Fravaux in the Bar-sur-Aubois. Named sites include Les Hautes Mottes, Les Coullemets and Les Moissonnières. Fravaux supplies Pinot Noir associated with Le Varlan; Chardonnay links the other principal territories.
The Grand Cru vintage Chardonnay from Les Hautes Mottes is tied to Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Its published 2016 release records eight years on lees and 2 g/L dosage, with malolactic fermentation omitted. Such individual technical sheets connect a modern bottle with a named family vineyard, complementing the longer sequence from Charles’s foundation through Michel’s Avize cellar and Sophie’s Avenue residence.
Four geographic sources for the wines
Michel Gonet identifies its Côte des Blancs vineyards in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Avize, alongside holdings at Vindey in the Sézannais, Montgueux near Troyes and Fravaux in the Bar-sur-Aubois. The business describes itself as a Récoltant-Manipulant and Vigneron Indépendant, with its wines originating in its own vineyards.
The Côte des Blancs parcel list includes Les Hautes Mottes, Les Coullemets, Vaucherot and Les Moissonnières. Vindey supplies wines named Vindey-Montgueux and Les 3 Terroirs, while Fravaux’s Le Varlan is associated with Pinot Noir. This explains why an Avenue tasting can compare wines from several Champagne landscapes without being a vineyard excursion to all of them.
Three Champagnes in Épernay
“Dégustation 3 champagnes à Epernay” lasts 30 minutes from €24 (checked October 2026). Its official product offers either three classic Intemporelles cuvées, introducing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, or three vintage Grand Cru Chardonnay wines. The latter is described as a comparison of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger across time. The starting price does not imply that both selections cost the same.
This tasting takes place on the terrace or in a salon at 37 avenue de Champagne. The product expressly excludes a visit to the Avize cellars. Book through the house’s three-wine booking page, or contact epernay@gonet.fr and +33 3 26 54 39 29 for the precise selection.
The six-wine blind-tasting option
“Dégustation à l’aveugle 6 champagnes” is a one-hour Épernay tasting at €48 (checked October 2026). The published format introduces six Champagnes, then serves one of those six in a black glass for identification. The wine types are four blancs de blancs, one rosé and one blanc de noirs.
The official blind-tasting product also excludes the Avize cellar visit. Its venue is La Villa by Michel Gonet at number 37. This is the longer Avenue tasting, not the cellar tour with an added blind-tasting exercise.
The working-cellar visit in Avize
“Visite de Cave à Avize” is the separate 90-minute experience at €55 (checked October 2026). The modern, functional winery introduces production and maturation before the three-cuvée tasting and Ratafia. The official page says the default language is English and emphasises that the visit takes place in Avize, not Épernay.
Grand Cru and the broader range
Michel Gonet’s Grand Cru Millésimé page describes Chardonnay from Les Hautes Mottes in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, low-temperature fermentation without malolactic conversion and at least eight years on bottle lees. The displayed 2016 release has dosage of 2 g/L. These are the specifications of that cuvée, not the recipe for every Gonet wine.
The wider catalogue names Brut 6G, Fravaux Le Varlan, Vindey-Montgueux, Les 3 Terroirs, Cœur de Mesnil, Authentique and rosés made by blending or saignée. Cœur de Mesnil is a Grand Cru vintage blanc de blancs; Les Compères is associated with Rajat Parr and Marco Pelletier and the Les Hautes Mottes parcel. The selected tasting product determines which bottles are opened.
Five rooms at La Villa
La Villa’s accommodation page lists five individually named rooms: Léontine-Louise, Micheline, Marie-Francine, Charles-Innocent and Catherine. The rooms face either the Avenue de Champagne or the vineyard slopes. Guests have access to a bar-library area with books on the region and wine, alongside tea, coffee and other drinks.
The official wine-tourism page advertises the Épernay tasting venue daily 10:30–18:30, with or without an appointment. Avize’s general visitor hours are Monday–Friday 09:30–17:30 by appointment. A room reservation at La Villa does not replace a ticket for the Avize tour. The Épernay stays guide links accommodation through Booking.com; no room rate or star rating is invented here.
Access and facilities
At the Avize winery on avenue Jean Jaurès, the route has numerous stairs. Michel Gonet asks visitors unable to use steps to contact the team beforehand; the booking page also notes that production operations can require a session to be cancelled or moved. Use the Avize booking page, avize@gonet.fr or +33 3 26 57 50 56 for this site.
Michel Gonet offers tastings at La Villa, 37 avenue de Champagne in Épernay, and working-cellar visits at 196 avenue Jean Jaurès in Avize. The Épernay three-wine tasting starts at €24 for 30 minutes; the Avize cellar tour is €55 for 90 minutes, with three Champagnes and a glass of Ratafia (checked October 2026).
Official booking and sources
Open the house’s visitor page for the named venue. Visitor information and quoted tariffs reviewed 23 October 2026.
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