R. Pouillon

History of Champagne R. Pouillon

The history of Champagne R. Pouillon is written into the eternal landscape of Champagne, beginning in 1947 when Roger Pouillon, a Champenois passionate about the art of winemaking, settled in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ to transform the family vineyard into an exceptional estate. Accompanied by his wife Bernedette and his uncle Louis Baulant, a renowned oenology consultant, Roger laid the foundations of a récoltant-manipulant dedicated to authentic quality, far from the mass commercial circuits. His choice to produce his own cuvées marked a turning point: the estate became a sanctuary where the vine dictates the rhythm, with an emphasis on the preservation of ancestral terroirs.

In 1965, James Pouillon, Roger's son, joined the venture, modernising the winery with the addition of enamelled tanks and gyropalettes while maintaining the artisanal spirit. Under his stewardship, the vineyard gradually expanded, integrating plots freed from supply contracts, to achieve a mosaic of diversified terroirs. James and his wife Josette, originally from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, instilled an even deeper family dimension, opting for reasoned agriculture that anticipated environmental challenges.

It was in 1998 that Fabrice Pouillon, Roger's grandson and holder of degrees in business and oenology, took the helm alongside his father. Third generation at the helm, Fabrice propelled the estate into an era of respectful innovation: conversion to organic viticulture from 2003, integration of biodynamic principles such as herbal tisane treatments and preparations 500 and 501, and a focus on massal selections to preserve the genetic diversity of the grape varieties. Today, with his wife Élodie, Fabrice manages 7 to 8 hectares spread across around forty plots, cultivated using regenerative farming with horse ploughing, farm composts and diversified cover crops. This evolution, symbolised by a weeping willow planted by Roger along the Marne canal, reflects organic growth: rooted in family heritage, yet open to the winds of the world. The estate, which is preparing a new operational cellar for the 2025 harvest, continues to embody a living legacy.

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne R. Pouillon

The terroirs of Champagne R. Pouillon form a fascinating geological kaleidoscope, spread across both sides of the Vallée de la Marne, linking Reims to Épernay via a narrow chalk breach. On the right bank, the hillsides of Aÿ (Grand Cru) and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Premier Cru) dominate the river with south and east-facing exposures, reaching altitudes of 120 to 170 metres. These steep slopes, north-facing for certain plots such as Les Terres Froides at Tauxières (Premier Cru, Montagne de Reims), capture a climatic freshness that has become an asset in the face of warming. The subsoil, dominated by porous, carbonated chalk down to 40 metres deep — a vestige of the Cretaceous — acts as a reservoir of water and minerals, infusing the wines with a deep salinity and minerality. Above, tertiary layers of clays, sands and Lutetian limestones create infinite diversity: argilo-calcareous soils with a large internal surface for Pinot Noir at Mareuil, pure clays for Meunier at Festigny, and chalky blends for Chardonnay at Aÿ or Tauxières.

Across 7 to 8 hectares, 40 plots are precisely identified and worked individually to maximise terroir expression. The flagship villages — Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Avenay-Val-d'Or, Épernay, Festigny, Mutigny and Tauxières — host the three Champenois grape varieties: Pinot Noir (majority, around 4 ha), Chardonnay (2 ha) and Pinot Meunier (1 ha). All vines come from massal selections, fostering natural vitality and perfect adaptation to the soils. Viticultural practices, based on regenerative agriculture, include regular soil analyses, limited yields, natural cover crops with field beans, legumes and cruciferous plants, and respect for seasonal rhythms. No herbicides or chemical pesticides: only organic composts and sexual confusion techniques to protect biodiversity. This approach, initiated by Fabrice, aims to "bring the soils to life to produce living wines", as in Les Valnons at Aÿ or Chemin du Bois at Mareuil.

Winemaking at Champagne R. Pouillon

At the Champagne R. Pouillon winery, vinification is the art of discreet accompaniment, where the wine "almost makes itself" to preserve the original expression of the terroir, the grape and the winemaker's hand. The grapes, harvested at optimal phenolic maturity to capture flavours and minerals without excess sugar, are pressed in a traditional vertical press of 4,000 kg, with a slow fractioning based on duration and pressure rather than volume. This respects the anatomy of the berries, releasing fractioned juices — sweet and mineral cuvées first, then delicate tannins — which fall by gravity into enamelled tanks.

Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, without additives, in a range of adapted vessels: demi-muids and French oak barrels (new to 10 wines) for controlled oxidation, concrete eggs or ceramic amphorae for natural lees agitation, and small ovoid tanks for innovative trials. Bâtonnage reinforces structure without being aggressive, while reserve wines, aged for up to 18 months in 75 hl foudres, ensure consistency and depth. The estate's signature lies in the Méthode Fabrice Pouillon, developed in 2004: a second fermentation without exogenous sucrose, using exclusively the natural sugar of the grapes. Fifteen percent of the juice is kept in steel until spring, then blended with the clear wine for a second ambient fermentation, bottled under cork at 24 g/L of residual sugar. The dosage, when applied, comes from grape juice, and the wines are aged on lees for 18 to 60 months in chalk cellars 15 metres deep. Without systematic filtration or fining, these wines, assembled with input from the entire family, are born vinous, fresh and built for the table, embodying a natural winemaking approach that elevates each cuvée to the rank of pure terroir expression.

The cuvées of Champagne R. Pouillon

The range of Champagne R. Pouillon is filled with emblematic cuvées, each a faithful portrait of a terroir or a philosophy.

Grande Vallée Extra-Brut: Vallée de la Marne with 65% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier from Avenay, Épernay, Festigny, Mareuil and Mutigny. Blend of the year and reserves to recreate the best of the harvest, vinified in demi-muids, barrels and small tanks, with reserves in barrels and foudres. Extra-brut dosage (3–6 g/L) 3 to 6 months before release, bottled 6–9 months after harvest, 18–24 months on lees. Production: 25,000–35,000 bottles/year. A vinous and fresh champagne, perfect as an aperitif or with seafood dishes.

Rosé Premier Cru Brut: 100% Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ on chalk and clays, with a 12-hour maceration for an intense fruity infusion. One macerated portion in barrels blended with the next, vinification in tanks and oak barrels, reserves in barrels. Brut dosage 3–6 months before, bottled 6–9 months after harvest, 18–24 months on lees. Production: 4,000–8,000 bottles/year. Deep colour, juicy and refined, it excels with pink meats.

Les Terres Froides Premier Cru Extra-Brut Millésimé: Tauxières (Montagne de Reims), 100% Chardonnay from Les Fourches (40+ years, argilo-calcareous, 165 m altitude, north-facing exposure). Vinified in barrels, concrete egg and ceramic amphorae with indigenous yeasts. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 6–9 months after harvest, 36 months on lees. Production: 3,500–5,000 bottles/year. Reserved then charming, saline and mineral, for shellfish.

Le Montgruguet Premier Cru Extra-Brut Millésimé: Mareuil (120 m altitude), 100% elegant Pinot Noir, vinified in barrels (9–10 wines) with indigenous yeasts and bâtonnage. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 6–9 months after harvest, 36 months on lees. Production: 3,000–6,000 bottles/year. Sophisticated, textured, for white meats.

Les Valnons Parcellaire Grand Cru Extra-Brut Millésimé: Chardonnay (Aÿ) on west-facing argilo-calcareous loam (160 m altitude), 9–10-wine barrels, indigenous yeasts, bâtonnage. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 12–18 months after harvest under cork, 5 years on lees. Production: 1,500–3,000 bottles/year. Energetic, saline and creamy, for aged cheeses.

Les Blanchiens Parcellaire Premier Cru Brut Nature Millésimé: Mareuil (mid south-facing slope, clays on chalk, 170 m altitude), 50% Chardonnay/50% Pinot Noir, by grape variety in 9–10-wine barrels, indigenous yeasts, bâtonnage. Brut nature dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 12–18 months after harvest under cork, 5 years on lees. Production: 2,500–4,000 bottles/year. Structured, for poultry.

Les Châtaigniers Parcellaire Extra-Brut Millésimé: Meunier from Festigny (Vallée du Flagot, clay on Lutetian, 150 m altitude), 100% in 9–10-wine barrels, indigenous yeasts, bâtonnage. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 12–18 months after harvest under cork, 3–4 years on lees. Production: 1,000–2,000 bottles/year. Powerful, for autumnal dishes.

Chemin du Bois Méthode Fabrice Pouillon Parcellaire Premier Cru Extra-Brut Millésimé: Mareuil (lower slope, argilo-calcareous), 100% Pinot Noir in 4–9-wine barrels, indigenous yeasts, bâtonnage, no added sulphur. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 6–18 months after harvest, 5 years on lees. Production: 1,000–2,000 bottles/year. Brioche and saline.

Solera Premier Cru Extra-Brut: Mareuil (chalk/clays), 50% Pinot Noir/50% Chardonnay since 1997, successive vintages in barrels, 75 hl foudre for reserves. Extra-brut dosage 6–12 months before, bottled 18 months after the last harvest, 36 months on lees. Production: 3,800 bottles. Balanced, candied and creamy, timeless.

Coteaux Champenois Rouge Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Millésimé: 100% Pinot Noir from Mareuil, maceration 12–14 days, 18 months in barrels without filtration. Production: 300–600 bottles/year.

Coteaux Champenois Blanc Millésimé: Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir from the Vallée de la Marne, 4–9-wine barrels, indigenous yeasts, bâtonnage, 18 months of ageing. Production: 200–400 bottles/year. Elegant and complex, for fish.

From intimate single-vineyard cuvées to generous blends, these champagnes — dense, fresh and vinous — transcend mere tasting to become unforgettable table companions. Rooted in a three-hundred-year family history and driven by the innovation of Fabrice and Élodie, the estate invites discovery: order now and let the Marne whisper its secrets into your glass. Discover other terroir champagnes such as Egly Ouriet, Larmandier Bernier, Agrapart, Laherte, Dehours, Pierre Moncuit, Françoise Bedel, Henri Giraud, Eric Rodez, Chartogne Taillet, Selosse.... Vins & Millésimes offers you the possibility to buy online the finest bottles and magnums of old vintages and grand crus. All our wines are in stock and available for fast delivery! Discover the cuvées of Champagne R. Pouillon available for purchase!