When it comes to Champagne, most people think of the iconic Champagne houses that have dominated the market for centuries. However, there is a fascinating world of artisanal delight waiting to be explored: Grower Champagne. These hidden gems, crafted by individual grape growers, offer a unique and personal expression of the Champagne region.
We embark on a journey to uncover the allure of grower Champagne and why it deserves a place on your wine list.
While Champagne houses have long been synonymous with luxury and celebration, a growing trend has emerged, championing the individuality and authenticity of grower Champagne. These passionate vintners cultivate their own vineyards, nurture the grapes, and meticulously oversee the winemaking process from start to finish. The result? Champagnes that embody the spirit of terroir and showcase the craftsmanship of these dedicated artisans.
At the heart of grower Champagne lies the concept of terroir, a French term that encapsulates the unique combination of soil, climate, and winemaking practices specific to a vineyard. Grower-producers have an intimate connection to their land, allowing them to showcase the distinct characteristics of their vineyards through their Champagnes. Each sip becomes a sensory experience, telling a story of a particular place and the hands that carefully tended the vines.
Grower Champagne represents a departure from the large-scale production of Champagne houses. These passionate grape growers prioritize quality over quantity, producing limited quantities of Champagne. By taking a hands-on approach to every step of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to fermentation and ageing, they ensure that each bottle is a testament to their dedication and expertise. The result is a collection of Champagnes that exude artisanal excellence and offer a taste of something truly unique.
One of the most exciting aspects of Grower Champagne is the sheer diversity it offers. Unlike the uniformity often associated with large Champagne houses, grower-producers embrace the nuances of their vineyards, resulting in a range of flavours and styles. From vibrant Blanc de Blancs with delicate citrus notes to rich and expressive Blanc de Noirs with red fruit undertones, there is a grower Champagne to suit every palate. Exploring the diverse array of flavours and discovering your personal favourites is a delightful adventure.
Check out some of our Grower Champagne houses below!
Champagne Gamet
Champagne Gamet is a grower-producer, with vineyards in eight hectares in three villages – Mardeuil on the left bank and Fleury-la-Rivière and Damery on the right bank. Since 2018, the estate has been led by their daughter and fourth-generation Marianne. Marianne’s brother, Jean-François, a trained enologist currently working in Bordeaux, travels back home to assist his sister and parents with harvest, blending, and bottling.
This corner of Champagne where the winery is located is called the Côte sud d’Epernay and encircles Epernay. Here, all three major grape varieties thrive on different soils. The subsoil is chalk, with various depths of clay, marl and silex. The vineyards in each of these three villages face different directions, giving different characteristics to the wines even though they are less than 8km away from each other.
