Adrien Renoir now runs the estate. While he has deep respect for the work of his ancestors, he chose to take the domaine in a completely new direction. Convinced that a more respectful approach was both possible and necessary, he has placed that philosophy at the center of his project from the start. It was not an easy path, as he had to overcome the reservations of his father, Vincent. When responsibility was gradually passed to him beginning in 2014, father and son held very different views on how the estate should be managed. Vincent believed environmentally respectful farming was too difficult to carry out in Verzy, in northern Champagne, whereas Adrien believed in it completely. He never abandoned his convictions, and eventually his father gave him full freedom, on the condition that the conversion be done carefully and gradually, parcel by parcel.

From a long line of Champagne growers, Alexandre Lamblot chose in 2013 to set out on his own and create his own Champagne house in order to pursue his philosophy of making wines as naturally as possible. After working as a wine merchant and later as a department manager at Métro in Paris, he settled in Janvry on the Montagne de Reims, where he took over four hectares of vines from the family estate.

Based in Chamery in the Montagne de Reims, Aurélien Lurquin is one of Champagne’s most discreet and sought-after producers. His tiny estate is farmed in strict biodynamics, and he vinifies entirely by hand, without additives, with a rare feel for the wines’ natural balance. Aging is long, in barrel, with no filtration or dosage. Each cuvée is a micro-expression of terroir.
Very small quantities and extremely hard to find.

For several years now, Benoît and his wife Valérie have been joined by their sons Valentin and Étienne, who carry on their careful work in the vineyard and cellar to produce expressive, distinctive wines. The estate recently expanded with the addition of half a hectare of vines formerly owned by Marie-Noëlle Ledru, and a new winery has been built. The ongoing exchange of ideas between father and sons about their vision for the wines is a pleasure to follow and confirms the estate’s strength. With malolactic fermentation completed and no masking dosage, these Champagnes show intense flavors of ripe grapes in an increasingly airy style. Moving beyond the fruit-driven side of Pinot Noir, they patiently build the mineral depth expected from a great cru.

David Léclapart grew up surrounded by the rhythms of vine and wine. After a standard education outside viticulture, he trained at the agrobiology school in Beaujeu and returned to the estate with a desire to learn, a passion for working in harmony with nature, and a strong conviction to respect living things “from vine to glass.”
Biodynamics is what gives him the greatest sense of purpose in this pursuit, even if risks and difficulties sometimes bring doubt. This philosophy allows him to follow four guiding principles: purity, energy, pleasure, and ecology.
He now farms 3 hectares in Trépail, a Premier Cru village. Ninety percent of his vineyard is Chardonnay, vinified as Champagne and in some years as Coteaux Champenois; the rest is Pinot Noir, made either as red Coteaux Champenois or as blanc de noirs Champagne. The cuvée L’Aphrodisiaque is composed of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, reflecting his full terroir.

The estate covers around 2.5 hectares of vineyards planted mainly with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, the three classic Champagne grape varieties. He practices biodynamic viticulture, paying close attention to sustainability and minimal intervention both in the vineyard and in the cellar. He avoids chemical products and instead encourages biodiversity to maintain the natural balance of the soils. Emmanuel Brochet is known for the precision of his work, producing Champagnes that are expressive, pure, and true to the distinctive character of his vineyard terroir.

His goal is to show the character of each terroir, vintage, and grape variety. He focuses on parcel bottlings, harvesting grapes at high ripeness so no sugar needs to be added. The wines spend about ten months in barrel for vinification. In the cellar, everything moves by gravity, never by pump. The wines aren’t racked but stirred roughly 15 to 25 times depending on the cuvée. They age for 24 months, then are hand-riddled in the cellar for about eight weeks. He prefers vinification without adding reserve wine. Alcoholic fermentation is very slow, taking place in barrel at temperatures below 10°C. He has also recently acquired a few foudres.

Based on the Montagne de Reims, Georges Rémy farms 4.5 hectares across the communes of Bouzy, Ambonnay, Tauxières-Mutry, and Louvois. All vineyards classified as Premier or Grand Cru have been certified organic since 2018. The estate is one of Bouzy’s most sought-after names. Every effort is directed toward wine quality and terroir expression: harvests pushed as late as possible, parcel-by-parcel vinification, aging in vessels suited to each wine, no chaptalization, and long bottle aging. His passion is evident in wines that combine expressiveness, finesse, and freshness — Champagnes built for aging.

Guillaume Sergent began producing his own wines in 2008. A micro-producer, he works 1.9 hectares of vines farmed organically and biodynamically. He uses minimal dosage — 1 g/L — allowing the terroir to speak for itself. These are confidential cuvées that are highly prized by enthusiasts.

Following Emile, Joseph, and Bertrand, Hugues spent forty years bringing the technical knowledge needed to manage his vineyard and craft his wines. Since 2006, his commitment to organic and biodynamic viticulture has opened a broader reflection on respecting natural terroir balances, environmental impact, and human well-being. This philosophy shapes his grower estate of forty parcels spread across four villages of the Montagne de Reims: Verzenay, Verzy, Villers-Marmery, and Villedommange.

Champagne Huré Frères has been a family operation for more than fifty years. Raoul Huré and his two sons, François and Pierre, welcome visitors to their house in Ludes in the Montagne de Reims. In total there are forty-five parcels, each contributing its own characteristics and organoleptic qualities either to blends or to single-parcel Champagnes — true snapshots of the vineyard. Viticulture is carried out sustainably: soils are worked methodically, enriched with organic matter, parcels are grassed, and plowing allows the soil to reveal its full potential. Vinification receives the same care as vineyard work, with the aim of giving Caesar what belongs to Caesar and the grape what belongs to it: fruit, balance, and personality.

In Gueux, in the northwest of the Montagne de Reims, Jérôme Prévost took over a few vines from his grandmother. His first harvest was in 1987. With a strong sensitivity to plant life, he produces a “garden wine,” Les Béguines — a massale-selection Pinot Meunier that today ranks among the finest sparkling wines. The soils are worked with care and respect for living systems. He quickly eliminated pesticides and herbicides from the vineyard and became fascinated with mycorrhization. Two hectares harvested in the best years — that is all for the entire world.

The estate lies in Vrigny, a Premier Cru village of the Montagne de Reims, and farms 8.7 hectares organically on marl-limestone, clay-silt, and sandy soils. The Lelarge family acquired its first vineyard parcels in 1799 through Pierre-Henri Lelarge, who married Madeleine Dravigny from a family of winegrowers in Vrigny. Over generations, his descendants have maintained this attachment to Champagne terroir and to the craft of winegrowing. Beginning in 1985, they shifted toward viticulture respectful of both the environment and people, leading to certification of all wines and Champagnes in 2015. This commitment continued with biodynamic trials in 2014 and Demeter certification from the 2017 harvest.

Located in Ambonnay, in the heart of Champagne, the Marguet estate stands out for its commitment to biodynamics, a rare approach in the region. This conversion, initiated by Benoît Marguet, profoundly transformed estate practices. While his parents sold grapes to the house Krug, Benoît created his own range of wines, including numerous single-parcel cuvées highlighting the diversity and richness of the estate’s old vines. A strong advocate of biodynamics, he introduced biodynamic preparations, phytotherapy, aromatherapy, and horse plowing. The eight-hectare estate received Demeter certification in 2013.

Sébastien Mouzon-Leroux took over the family estate in 2008. He manages eight hectares of vines spread across about sixty parcels in Verzy. The estate has practiced sustainable viticulture since 1997 and converted to biodynamics in 2008 under his direction, along with agroforestry and the introduction of animals for winter grazing. Vinifications are carried out as naturally as possible to express the taste of the soil. In the cellar, wines age on lees for several months, then after bottling remain on laths for three to five years. This approach allows him to reflect the character of Verzy’s clay-limestone terroir with precision.

Today the ninth generation is in charge with Nicolas, who returned in 2003 after studying engineering and oenology. He continues nearly three hundred years of history while preserving the house philosophy: expressing the potential of Champagne terroirs in the wines. Since 2009, the estate has strengthened its environmental commitment, including installing 600 m² of photovoltaic panels that produce the equivalent of 100% of its energy consumption.

The Paul Bara vineyard is located in Bouzy, a 100% Grand Cru terroir renowned for the rich, highly expressive character of its Pinot Noirs. The vineyard faces due south, providing ideal ripening conditions, and is among the thirty best-situated sites in Bouzy. Chalk soils, predominant here, drain excess water and supply the grapes with essential minerals.

This small estate is located in Trois-Puits on the outskirts of Reims. The family property, less than four hectares, is run by fourth-generation grower Périne Baillette, who owns parcels in Trois-Puits and Rilly-la-Montagne classified Premier Cru, and in Verzenay classified Grand Cru. The vines have received no chemical weedkillers since 2007. Vinification takes place in barrels, always with indigenous yeasts and virtually no topping-up. Each cuvée reveals the identity of its parcels and of carefully tailored aging.

When Alban Corbeaux returned to the estate in 2016, the fourth generation of winegrowers in his family, he arrived with a clear vision of the Champagne he wanted to produce. He wanted wines bearing the name of the house founded by his grandfather to gain in generosity and expression, so he naturally moved toward vinifications that encourage openness and development. With this approach, wines from his Grand Cru terroir of Verzy move away from their natural austerity toward a generosity that suits them well. Faithful to Champagne appellation standards, Maison Pierre Deville works in respect of regional traditions while remaining in harmony with nature and its terroir.

Established in Bouzy for more than two hundred years, the house is run by brothers Antoine and Quentin Paillard, the eighth generation of the family. The Paillards settled in Bouzy at the start of the eighteenth century. Earlier generations were shepherds, then innkeeper-carters and schoolmasters. Around 1768, an ancestor, Antoine Paillard, bought a few vineyard plots in Bouzy and became a winegrower. The historic vineyard covers eleven hectares entirely within the legendary Grand Cru terroir of Bouzy. Its chalky soils and southern exposure give the Pinot Noirs of this great site their distinctive character and identity.

Champagne Roger Coulon is a family estate rooted for more than two centuries in Vrigny, a Premier Cru terroir of the Montagne de Reims. Now run by Isabelle and Eric Coulon alongside their children Louise and Edgar, the estate continues the significant environmental shift begun over thirty years ago. Careful, precise work guides the cuvées toward subtle, delicate expressions.

In Rilly-la-Montagne, in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, Patrick Manceaux and his team passionately cultivate the natural riches of their twelve-hectare terroir of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. They grow the three Champagne varieties — Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay — while remaining faithful to traditional family values. The estate has held HVE and VDC certification for several years.

This family estate covers 2.15 hectares entirely within the terroir of Courmas, a small village in the Petite Montagne de Reims about 10 km southwest of Reims on the Champagne route. The three historic Champagne varieties — Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay — are cultivated with great respect for the environment, and careful soil work highlights the typicity of these terroirs.

Family-run for five generations, Maison Vilmart is driven by a distinctive instinct, a taste for precision, and a strong sense of independence. In 1890, Désiré Vilmart founded the house in the heart of Rilly-la-Montagne at the foot of the Montagne de Reims.
Since 1995, Laurent Champs, son of René, has brought his energy and commitment to the estate. He works with precision to renew his wines day after day while respecting the work of the four generations before him. His regular travels around the world now see more than half of production exported to about thirty countries. His son Thomas Champs joined the house in 2020.
One of Vilmart’s defining features is the absence of malolactic fermentation, which preserves freshness, tension, finesse, and aromatic character. After ten months of vinification in wood, the wines are bottled and rest in the estate’s chalk cellars: three to four years for non-vintage cuvées, five to eight years for vintage wines.

Now led by the next generation, the estate continues the work begun by the late Éric de Sousa. Charlotte oversees sales, Julie manages the vineyards and works with the horses, and Valentin runs the cellar. The domaine covers 14 hectares, mostly Chardonnay in the Grand Cru village of Avize, along with Pinot Noir from the Grand Crus of Aÿ and Ambonnay. Certified organic in 2010 and biodynamic in 2013, it also benefits from older vines. Carefully handled barrel aging brings out wines with depth and energy.

Located in Flavigny on the Côte des Blancs, the Dhondt-Grellet estate is now run by Adrien Dhondt, who has brought fresh ideas with him. Strongly influenced by Burgundian winemaking, he produces a range dominated by Chardonnay. These wines are defined by elegance, freshness, minerality, and tension. The vineyard is farmed in an organic-style approach, with ploughed soils and plant-based treatments. His work has been widely praised, and he was named Winemaker of the Year in 2017 at the Trophées Champenois.

The Diebolt family has been rooted in Cramant since the late 19th century, while the Vallois line has grown vines in Cuis since the 15th century. Jacques Diebolt began alongside his grandfather, but it was from 1978 onward that the house gained wider recognition, following the estate’s expansion, the building of a cellar, and soon after, a working facility.

This family estate farms more than 10 hectares, largely planted to Chardonnay in Vertus (Premier Cru) and in the Grand Cru villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Avize, and Cramant. Doyard practices sustainable viticulture, using as few inputs as possible so the terroir can show clearly. Its style is shaped by fully ripe harvests and vinification carried out partly or entirely in wood.

The Girard-Bonnet vineyard covers 12 hectares, mainly in the Côte des Blancs, specifically Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger (Grand Cru) and Vertus (Premier Cru), areas known for high-quality Chardonnay. Herbicides were phased out starting in the 2000s under Philippe Girard. The estate treats each vine individually, adjusting care according to age, site, and exposure to bring out its character. Plant-based treatments, green manure, and eco-grazing are all part of daily practice, with the shared aim of helping the vines thrive. The vineyard has been certified organic and Demeter since 2023.

Richard and Karine Fouquet farm 8 hectares, mainly in the Côte des Blancs villages of Cramant, Chouilly, and Oiry, plus a parcel of Pinot Meunier in Mardeuil used for the cuvée Prohibition. Only part of the production is bottled at the estate; the rest is sold to Champagne négociants, notably Laurent-Perrier, a long-standing client. Though not certified organic, the vineyard is run that way, without pesticides or insecticides. In the cellar, barrel aging is limited and malolactic fermentation isn’t always pursued. The wines are valued for their purity, length without severity, and low, well-judged dosage.

Since the 19th century, the Larmandier family has worked vines in the Premier and Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. Chalk is the foundation of these terroirs. Among Champagne’s production areas, only the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs sit on Campanian chalk, which gives Larmandier-Bernier wines their distinctive minerality. Biodynamic for more than twenty years, the Champagnes are defined by maturity, purity, and a direct expression of place.

Florent and Julien Mignon founded their estate in Cramant in 2015. Chardonnay makes up almost all of their plantings, with vines spread across Avize, Cuis, and Cramant in the Côte des Blancs. The entire domaine is farmed biodynamically, with a focus on transparency. It has quickly become a reference for lovers of great Champagne Chardonnay.

Maxime Oudiette joined his parents in 2012 after gaining experience at Champagne Thuillier and Champagne Jacques Selosse. He represents a new generation, bringing a modern, committed approach to viticulture. Since 2015 he has developed his own philosophy based on harmony between soil, vine, and wine, incorporating organic, biodynamic, vitiforestry, and permaculture practices. Every step, from vineyard work to vinification, is adapted parcel by parcel to bring out each site’s character.

Pertois-Lebrun is a family house in Cramant, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. For generations, the family has produced characterful Champagnes with strict standards and strong respect for Grand Cru terroirs. The vineyards lie mainly in Cramant, Chouilly, Oiry, Oger, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, all renowned Chardonnay sites. Farming is thoughtful and sustainable, with constant attention to soil health and varietal expression. In the cellar, each parcel is vinified separately. Fermentations are natural or only lightly adjusted, and aging takes place in stainless steel and sometimes barrel, with low dosage to highlight minerality and finesse. The wines stand out for precision, tension, and clarity. The range is available at Les Clos Vivants, offering a direct look at the Côte des Blancs Grands Crus.

A six-generation family estate, Pierre Péters is based in the heart of the Côte des Blancs in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and has produced Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs since 1919. The focus is on revealing the character of the region’s chalk terroirs. More than 19 hectares lie mainly in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Avize, and Cramant, a few kilometers south of Épernay. These vineyards sit on exposed chalk that acts as a natural water reservoir. The east-facing slopes shield the vines from westerly winds. Certified HVE farming aims to produce the best fruit while respecting terroir, people, and environment.

Robert Moncuit produces Blanc de Blancs Champagnes that combine freshness and complexity. The eight-hectare estate spans the Grand Cru villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. Pierre Amillet, the founder’s grandson, farms as naturally as possible, with regular plowing and grass cover. It is widely considered one of the most reliable addresses in the Côte des Blancs.

Stéphane Regnault works in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. His view is that the grower’s role is to help the vine express its terroir. Vinification is kept simple so expressive fruit can speak for itself. He focuses on single-parcel Champagnes, since each site has its own identity. Fermentations during harvest are spontaneous, reflecting the natural yeasts unique to each parcel. After fermentation comes aging, with long months on lees to build structure and complexity. The use of SO₂ is rare.

Fifth-generation growers Charles-Henri and Emmanuel Fourny took over the family house in 1993. The brothers, who describe themselves as close and complementary, produce straightforward, fresh Champagnes that reflect the complexity of their origins. Emmanuel is the house oenologist and manages vineyard and wine, while Charles-Henri oversees operations with support from their mother. Their vines in the Premier Cru village of Vertus grow across varied soils and exposures, forming a true patchwork of terroirs.

Domaine Vincey, based in the Côte des Blancs, is a discreet but highly regarded estate. In Oger, Marine and Quentin Vincey represent a new generation of committed growers. Their Grand Cru terroirs are expressed through natural Champagnes made without additives, bottled under cork, and disgorged by hand. Production is small, and each cuvée offers a different view of the vineyards. Interlude N°4 shows the depth of Chouilly clay soils. Le Grand Jardin 2020, from a well-known Oger lieu-dit, presents a clear expression of living soil. Coin Gris 2020, from a Chardonnay parcel planted in 1954, highlights the contrast in Oger between brown clays and white chalk.

In 2017, Alexandre returned to Aÿ to work his mother’s family vineyards (the Vollereaux family), spread across the south-facing slopes of Épernay—Brugny, Pierry, and Vaudancourt. The soils form a patchwork of limestone, marl, and clay.
He began converting his parcels to organic farming in 2020. The vineyard is planted to 59% Chardonnay, 23% Pinot Noir, and 18% Pinot Meunier. In the cellar, vinification, fermentation, and aging take place in 228- and 300-liter barrels and sandstone eggs. His Champagnes show great finesse and a seamless balance between élevage and terroir. One of the most talented growers of his generation.

In the small village of Cuisles, in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne, Meunier has thrived since 1936. The vines draw strength from green clay soils rich in nutrients, which shape the grapes’ character and give them a striking minerality. Certified organic since 2018 and currently moving toward biodynamic certification, the estate approaches its wines as true terroir Champagnes, guided by the same principles that shape its work in the vineyard.

Antoine Bouvet is based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, just outside Épernay. His grandfather Guy Bouvet founded the estate, which spans three Premier Cru villages: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil, and Avenay-Val-d’Or. Although his father chose a career in accounting and skipped a generation, Antoine inherited exceptional vineyard material from his grandfather. Old massal selections give the vines both deep roots in the chalk soils and remarkable genetic diversity, bringing notable complexity. His brother Maxime has recently joined him at the domaine.

Antoine settled in 2011 and quickly adopted a low-intervention approach, giving up herbicides from the start. By 2015 he began trials in organic and biodynamic farming. In the cellar, fermentations start naturally and he interferes as little as possible, letting the chalk soils lend their finesse. He belongs to a younger wave of Champagne growers but already has more than a decade behind him, and he enjoys experimenting with vinification to craft wines as naturally as possible.

Domaine Cazé-Thibaut is a small family estate run by Benoît Cazé and his wife Stéphanie Thibaut. Founded with determination, it covers about 2.7 hectares planted mainly to Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. The domaine is committed to organic farming, favors environmentally respectful practices, and works with natural winemaking and minimal intervention. The Champagnes are known for their purity, freshness, and their ability to reflect the character of their terroir, each cuvée shaped with close attention from vineyard to cellar.

At Domaine Christophe Mignon, winemaking includes homeopathic preparations made from diluted solutions of natural sulfur, copper, garlic, silica, and regulating plants. These are used to “inform” the water employed in treatments. The aim isn’t to block disease, but to prevent it from developing by strengthening the vines’ health and resilience in a natural way.

Located in the Vallée de la Marne about 15 km from Épernay, Dehours & Fils sits entirely on the left bank. The vines grow in clay and sand soils over limestone bedrock. The vineyard is divided into 45 parcels, planted mostly to Meunier, the valley’s emblematic grape. In 1999 the estate released its first single-parcel cuvées, Les Genevraux and Brisefer, marking a clear commitment to expressing each site as purely as possible. Today Jérôme, Caroline, and Laurence continue to run the domaine with the intention of passing it on to the next generation.

Françoise Bedel & Fils farms 8.85 hectares of vines aged between 30 and 60 years. The parcels lie on both sides of the Marne in Crouttes-sur-Marne, Nanteuil-sur-Marne, Charly-sur-Marne, and Villiers-Saint-Denis. Fernand and Marie-Louise Bedel were the first generation, and Françoise took over part of the domaine in 1979. Because the plots sit on different subsoils, they can be blended by terroir to produce site-driven cuvées. The wines reflect a rigorous approach designed to highlight the qualities and distinct character of the land, the vines, and the fruit.

This 7-hectare estate lies on the right bank of the Vallée de la Marne, where the soils differ sharply from the chalk of the Côte des Blancs, with deep clay-and-flint subsoils especially suited to Pinot Noir and Meunier. When Franck Pascal arrived in 1998, he removed insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and anti-botrytis treatments. Four years later he introduced biodynamic preparations, followed by trials with homeopathy, essential oils, and plant infusions. The resulting Champagnes are delicate, sincere, and always full of charm.

In the Vallée de la Marne, Marianne and Jean-François took over the family estate from their parents, Fabienne and Philippe. Now in its fourth generation, the house works mainly with Meunier grown in Mardeuil, Fleury-la-Rivière, and Damery across more than 8 hectares. It continues to grow while reducing environmental impact and encouraging agricultural diversity. Wines are vinified in stainless steel tanks and in barrels, including demi-muids and barriques. Blends are made by terroir, and single-parcel Champagnes are also produced from the best plots. Fermentations happen naturally using a house yeast culture from their own vineyards. Barrel wines remain on lees for 10 months, and bottle aging lasts about 20 to 72 months.

From one of Cumières’ oldest winegrowing families, established in 1694, Georges Laval began organic farming in 1971 and makes wine in a natural, artisanal way. Since 1996 his son Vincent has continued the family tradition, tending 3.5 hectares of vines and producing around 20,000 bottles a year. Raphaël and Dylan work alongside him year-round in both vineyard and cellar.

Jean-Marc Sélèque returned to the family domaine in 2008 after studying viticulture and oenology and gaining experience in several New World vineyards owned by Maison Chandon. Time spent in California’s Napa Valley and Australia’s Yarra Valley gave him strong technical skills and a constant focus on precision. It also showed him the limits of a purely technological vision of wine, where endless cellar adjustments aim to standardize taste and texture.

The estate covers 6 hectares planted 75% to Meunier, 15% to Pinot Noir, and 10% to Chardonnay. In 2018 Jérôme Blin chose to convert the entire vineyard to biodynamic farming, adopting practices that support biodiversity and soil health. He favors spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts and uses a range of vessels, including 350-liter amphorae and 250-liter globes. This blend of innovation and tradition produces wines with strong character and a clear sense of identity.

Julien trained as a viticulture technician at the lycée in Avize before returning to the family domaine in 2013, while also creating his own label. The estate itself is in Cerseuil in the Vallée de la Marne. He currently farms just over 1.5 hectares of vines, converted to organic cultivation in 2020, and produces two cuvées.