Paul Clouet established his Champagne house in 1907 in Bouzy, one of the Montagne de Reims's most celebrated Grand Cru villages and historically one of Champagne's finest sources of Pinot Noir. More than a century later the estate remains tightly family-owned, producing around 50,000 bottles per year from a small parcel of Grand Cru vineyards that the Bonnaire family now oversees with the same sense of continuity and restraint that defined the founding generation.
Backstory
Paul Clouet founded the estate in Bouzy and built it around the village's exceptional Pinot Noir. His granddaughter Marie-Thérèse inherited the estate and married into the Bonnaire family, connecting Paul Clouet with another respected Champagne name rooted in the Côte des Blancs. Marie-Thérèse formally took over the operation in 1992, and her sons Jean-Etienne and Jean-Emmanuel Bonnaire now manage day-to-day winemaking and farming. Production for both Paul Clouet and Bonnaire takes place at the family facility in Cramant.
The Region
Bouzy is a Grand Cru commune on the southern flank of the Montagne de Reims, where east-facing and south-east-facing chalky slopes produce Pinot Noir of uncommon depth and structure. The village has a long history of producing both sparkling Blanc de Noirs Champagne and the rare still red wine known as Coteaux Champenois. Paul Clouet's additional vineyard holdings span several other villages including Chouilly, Cramant, Cuis, Bergères-les-Vertus, and Fossoy, giving the house access to Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs.
Vineyards and Farming
Paul Clouet farms six hectares across the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, with three hectares in Bouzy Grand Cru at the heart of the range. Pinot Noir dominates, reflecting the house's identity as a specialist in Blanc de Noirs Champagne. Specific farming certifications are not published, but the family's long-term stewardship of these plots reflects a generational commitment to the land.
Winemaking
All wines are produced at the Bonnaire facility in Cramant, where the two family estates share infrastructure while maintaining distinct identities. Paul Clouet's Champagnes are built primarily on Pinot Noir, producing the full-bodied, round, and honeyed character that Bouzy Grand Cru vineyards deliver at their best. The house also produces a still Bouzy Rouge under the Coteaux Champenois appellation in suitable vintages.
The Wines
The range includes the Selection Grande Réserve (a non-vintage Brut built for approachability), the Bouzy Vintage Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru (showing the mineral structure of a single exceptional year), a Rosé, and the Bouzy Rouge Coteaux Champenois (a still red wine from Pinot Noir). Production is limited to approximately 50,000 bottles annually, distributed across more than 20 countries.
