The La Villesenière champagne range is a barrel-fermented clutch of cuvées made under a separate brand by Champagne Claude Michez in the Marne at Boursault, west of Epernay. Cyril and Laurence seem to have remarkable feel for the skills of barrel fermentation and management and word is spreading to Paris restaurants and some European exports. There are 4ha, mostly in Boursault but also in Cuis and Mardeuil, the Marne parcels being all on the north-facing south (left) bank of the river. Viticulture is particularly painstaking, reducing yields and ploughing the soil. They make an unusual champagne in the range: Les Cuteries, a 100% Chardonnay from a single Boursault lieu-dit, a village planted 69% to Pinot Meunier.
Suggested Producers
Champagne Vazart-Coquart
Exclusive to the UK via Scala Wine, this producer sits in the elite of single estate (‘grower’) champagne. Jean-Pierre Vazart has 11ha of vines, all in the grand cru rated village Chouilly on the Cote des Blancs. All of his wines are therefore ‘grands crus’. The concept of transformation always asks its own questions. Jean-Pierre […]
Champagne Marie Courtin
At long last after visits and discussion over time forming a friendship, we have been granted a precious allocation of this internationally-coveted micro producer in the Aube. Dominique Moreau cultivates just a 2,5ha contiguous parcel of lieu-dit ‘Tremble’ in the village of Polisot, in the southern Aube, near Les Riceys. The estate is named after […]