Aurélien Lemaire

History of Champagne Aurélien Lemaire

The history of Domaine Aurélien Lemaire follows the great Champenois winemaking tradition, passed from father to son. The family property is in Boursault, on the slopes of the Marne Valley, in the heart of the Champagne vineyards. For decades, the estate made its champagnes using the region’s traditional methods, with a classic focus on quality. In 2016, Aurélien Lemaire, heir to a new generation, returned to the family estate with a radically different vision. From the outset, he applied his low-intervention practices to two plots, a preview of what he would later do on a larger scale.

In 2019, Aurélien took the plunge and officially assumed control of the family’s six hectares. As soon as he arrived, he decided to convert the entire estate to organic farming with biodynamic practices and to develop agroforestry across all its plots. This radical departure from a Champenois tradition dominated by agricultural chemicals and négociants placed Aurélien Lemaire among the region’s new wave of young natural winemakers, alongside Flavien Nowack, Antoine Bouvet, Romain Hénin and Thomas Perseval. His first cuvée, Les Terres Jaunes, soon made a splash among natural-wine enthusiasts and lovers of grower champagne. In just a few vintages, Aurélien Lemaire established himself as one of the most promising names in this “new Champagne.”

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne Aurélien Lemaire

The Domaine Aurélien Lemaire vineyard covers six hectares (or five, according to some sources) across 18 distinct plots in the village of Boursault in the Marne Valley. This diversity allows Aurélien to craft cuvées with rich and varied aromatic profiles, each reflecting its terroir’s unique character. The soils are characteristic of Champagne: predominantly chalk, with yellow soils (which give the signature cuvée its name), sand, and plots dominated by limestone or marl.

The range of grape varieties is unusually diverse for Champagne: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the region’s classic varieties, are joined by Pinot Meunier, emblematic of the Marne Valley, and Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Pinot Gris, historic Champagne varieties now rarely grown. This diversity allows Aurélien to make distinctive, original cuvées that bridge tradition and the rediscovery of a living heritage. The estate has been farmed organically since 2019, with biodynamic practices. Aurélien has eliminated all chemical inputs, allowed grass to grow between the vines and developed agroforestry by planting dozens of trees around and within his plots. The soils are worked gently with green manures, and treatments use minimal doses of sulfur and copper.

Winemaking at Champagne Aurélien Lemaire

In the cellar, Aurélien Lemaire takes his philosophy of simplification to its extreme. Fermentations rely solely on the grapes’ indigenous yeasts, without any added commercial yeasts, setting the estate apart in a region where commercial yeast inoculation is still widely the norm. Aurélien personally oversees aging in oak barrels, with an emphasis on precision and respect for the terroir. His innovative spirit has even led him to experiment with a Georgian qvevri buried near his winery, a decidedly avant-garde undertaking.

Sulfur use is deliberately minimal, with tiny doses added only when necessary. All cuvées are vintage-dated and released with zero dosage (extra brut nature), reflecting a commitment to complete transparency toward both the grapes and the drinker. This philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the traditional Champenois practice of nonvintage blending and substantial dosage. The result is a recognizable signature: frank, pure champagnes that gain complexity with air and deeply reflect their terroirs and vintages. It is a revolution that places the estate among the most promising young names in the new natural Champagne movement, alongside the leading talents of the new wave.

The cuvées of Champagne Aurélien Lemaire

Les Terres Jaunes: the estate’s signature cuvée and emblematic first vintage. Made from plots with the characteristic yellow soils that gave the cuvée its name. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, barrel-aged, vintage-dated and released with zero dosage. Pale gold in color, with fine bubbles, an expressive nose of white fruit, flowers and mineral notes, and a taut, deep palate with remarkable freshness and complexity. 

La Guinguette: an approachable, crowd-pleasing cuvée from the estate, made for sharing and conviviality at a gentle price. An original blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris and Petit Meslier. Natural winemaking, zero dosage. Fine bubbles, a pale color, a fresh, delicate nose and a supremely refreshing palate that makes it remarkably easy to drink. A joyful cuvée, ideal as an aperitif or for festive occasions.

La Trempette: an original and surprising cuvée, a genuine UCO (unidentified Champenois object). A blend of Pinot Noir from sandy soils and Meunier from the Marne, sometimes supplemented by other grape varieties. Made in a thoroughly natural style, without additives. Delicious, surprising bubbles that express all the young winemaker’s creativity.

Pinot Meunier Cuvée: a single-varietal cuvée made from 100% Pinot Meunier, the emblematic grape of the Marne Valley. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, barrel-aged, vintage-dated and released with zero dosage. Bright in color, with an expressive nose of red fruit and brioche notes, and a fresh, structured palate with the variety’s characteristic fleshiness. A pure, precise expression of fine Boursault Meunier.

Chardonnay Cuvée: a single-varietal cuvée made from 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs) grown on the estate’s chalky plots. Natural winemaking, zero dosage. Pale gold in color, with fine bubbles, an expressive nose of citrus, white flowers and mineral notes, and a taut, precise palate with a characteristic chalky signature. A grower’s Blanc de Blancs of great purity.