Champagne R. Pouillon & Fils

The Pouillon family’s roots in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ date back over a century, though the estate’s modern-day story begins in 1947 with the forward-thinking Roger Pouillon. Alongside his wife and uncle, Roger began acquiring vineyards and producing wines in the Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims, joined by his son, James, in 1964. After completing business and oenology degrees, Fabrice Pouillon, James’ son, returned home to take the reins at the estate, which has soared to new heights under his oversight. 

Today, Fabrice works six hectares of vines across a handful of villages spread throughout the Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims, including Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Epernay, Festigny, and Tauxières-Mutry. Half of the family holdings are dedicated to Pinot Noir, followed by two hectares of Chardonnay and one hectare of Meunier. All of Fabrice’s vines have been farmed organically for two decades, with biodynamic preparations, herbal tea sprays, cover crops, and organic composts also used.

Come harvest, all fruit is harvested by hand and pressed in a wooden pneumatic press. Fermentation takes place in enameled tanks, followed by aging in a combination of stainless steel and a variety of used oak vessels. After malolactic fermentation and extended periods of aging are complete, the wines are bottled and undergo a secondary fermentation, followed by additional sur-lie aging in bottle. 

In addition to the family’s standard lineup of wines, Fabrice has recently released a handful of vintage, site-specific wines produced from pinpointed lieux-dits, including Les Blanchiens and Chemin du Bois. The resulting wines are rich-yet-precise, aromatically expressive, and boast ample amounts of invigorating acidity.