Highly regarded by champagne specialists but rather ‘insider’ until recently, Agnès Corbon’s 3.5ha include parcels in the western Marne Valley as well as the crowning glory of 2ha of Chardonnay in Avize Grand Cru where she is based. She took over the family domaine in 2006 and has fashioned new cuves. Her hallmark is long lees-ageing and using base wines which are held in a perpetual solera type blend and also in 30hl oak foudres. Her wines show the power and minerality of Avize and the complexity of long ageing. She makes just 10,000 bottles a year.
Suggested Producers
Champagne André Robert
This Le Mesnil-based C tes des Blancs family domaine is undergoing an energetic transition led by Claire Robert who has taken over direction and has now persuaded her husband Jean-Baptiste to join her (and stop commuting to Paris!) as her father Bertrand has retired. Some 14ha are owned, much spread as far apart as the […]
Champagne Yann Alexandre
We tracked this domaine, based in Courmas on the Petite Montagne de Reims, under the radar , over two years, impressed by the painstaking detail of their vineyard and cellar work and (we think!) the delicacy of their wines. Scala became the sole UK distributor, beating off some stiff competition from other UK interest. Yann […]
Champagne Nicolas Maillart
Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book: Champagne grower to look out for in 2017 (& 18, 2019 and 2020!): Nicolas Maillart. Rising star Nicolas Maillart is technically a nègociant (NM) house not a grower, but buys only grapes from his family, and cultivates all the domaine himself. Experienced in Oregon, S Africa and Burgundy, Nicolas is […]