Considered the crown jewel of the wine world, champagne is often known through large estates and well-known brands. Champagne, that famous region of northern France, hides much more than that.
Grower champagnes is a general term for champagnes whose producers make their wine from grapes obtained from the orchards of their own estates and represent a small minority of the estates in the Champagne region. However, the demand for grower champagnes is growing rapidly, and exports to the United States in particular have grown significantly over the past few years, especially in terms of export value.
In France, also known as Récoltant-Manipulant, grower champagnes highlight, among other things, the winemaker's choices and differences in vintages, but terroir often plays the main role. Since the grapes come from the farms' own orchards, the terroir offers unique characteristics to the champagnes.
In each champagne region, there are wonderful grower champagne farms with their own styles. Check out, for example, the 100-year-old Pierre Péters of the Côte des Blancs, Michel Gonet , known for his Blanc de Blancs, or Dhondt-Grellet of the rich vinous style.
Behind the style of the champagnes of the Huré Frère family estate, which originates from the Montagne de Reims, are reserve wines matured for a long time using the solera method. The unclarified and unfiltered champagnes of JM Sélèque, located in Coteaux sud d'Épernay, are produced using highly biodynamic methods while respecting the environment. In the same regions, you can also find Tellier's champagne estate, whose champagne is always a vintage champagne, thus perfectly expressing the special characteristics of each year.
In the very south of Champagne, near Burgundy, in Côte des Bar, Rémi Leroy's main grape is Pinot Noir, which produces grapes that ripen in warm conditions, making abundantly robust champagnes that can be enjoyed throughout the meal.
