Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

History of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

The history of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte is one of the most singular in Champagne. It all began in 1976 when Nicolas Feuillatte, a young visionary entrepreneur who had become a coffee importer in the United States before returning to France to manage the family estate of Bouleuse, near Aÿ, launched his own Champagne brand. Charismatic and passionate, he instilled in his cuvées a style resolutely oriented toward elegance and conviviality, quickly seducing the international jet-set he knew so well, from private jet artists to the personalities of Parisian high society.

In 1986, eager to give his brand the growth commensurate with his ambitions, Nicolas Feuillatte forged an alliance with the Centre Vinicole de Chouilly, founded in 1972 and at the time the largest union of Champagne cooperatives. This coming together marked the birth of an unprecedented project: entrusting a collective of cooperative growers with the production of a great Champagne of universally accessible style. The success was meteoric: within a few decades, Nicolas Feuillatte became the best-selling Champagne brand in France and one of the most exported in the world. Today led with the same exacting standards by a team of passionate oenologists under the guidance of Guillaume Roffiaen, the house continues its ethical commitment by supporting the Banque Alimentaire de la Marne since 2009 and by constantly innovating, notably with its first organic cuvée, the Organic range, and new creations such as the Extra Brut Premier Cru.

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

The singular strength of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte lies in its access to the broadest palette of Champagne terroirs. The more than 5,000 cooperative growers cultivate over 2,200 hectares spread throughout the entire Champagne appellation, making it the house champion of terroir diversity. All the great Champagne viticultural zones are represented in the blends: the Côte des Blancs with its chalky-accented grand cru Chardonnays, the Montagne de Reims with its structured Pinots Noirs, the Vallée de la Marne with its indulgent Meuniers, and finally the Côte des Bar in the Aube, where Pinot Noir expresses itself on Kimmeridgian soils.

This mosaic of terroirs offers the cellar master an incomparably rich raw material, allowing him to play with finesse the art of blending, the true Champagne signature. The cooperative growers work with growing respect for good viticultural practices, with a firm commitment toward sustainable viticulture, certified Viticulture Durable en Champagne for a significant portion of the vineyard and now in organic farming for the Organic cuvée, crafted from grapes grown organically in the Côte des Bar and les Riceys. Mandatory hand-harvesting in Champagne, rigorous sorting and fruit preservation are the pillars of a collective effort resulting in the Nicolas Feuillatte cuvées.

Vinifications of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte is crafted according to the rigorous principles of the traditional méthode champenoise, from the modern wine-making centre of Chouilly, one of the most impressive production facilities in the region. After gentle pressing of the grapes, the juices are vinified separately by cru and by grape variety in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, in order to preserve the aromatic purity and the signature of each terroir. Alcoholic fermentation is followed by malolactic fermentation, which brings roundness and stability.

Under the direction of cellar master Guillaume Roffiaen, the art of blending reaches a particular refinement at Nicolas Feuillatte: each cuvée is born from the subtle marriage of the three Champagne grape varieties and selected terroirs, with a significant proportion of reserve wines to ensure consistency of style. After bottling and second fermentation, the bottles rest in the cellar for several years, well beyond the legal minimums, reaching a minimum of 36 months for the Réserve Exclusive, 48 months for the Organic, and several additional years for the vintage and prestige cuvées. This patience guarantees the aromatic complexity, bubble finesse and elegance that are characteristic of the house. The dosage, measured and precise, finalises each cuvée according to the desired signature, from Brut to Demi-Sec and Extra Brut.

The cuvées of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

Réserve Exclusive Brut: the house's emblematic cuvée and calling card, the Réserve Exclusive Brut perfectly embodies the Nicolas Feuillatte style. A harmonious blend of the three Champagne grape varieties (40% Pinot Noir, 35% Meunier, 25% Chardonnay) aged 36 months in the cellar, it seduces with its pale yellow robe, its string of fine bubbles, its floral and fruity nose, and its elegant, fresh and finely dosed palate, ideal as an aperitif as well as at the table.

Réserve Exclusive Rosé: crafted by blending with Champagne red wine, this rosé cuvée displays a luminous robe with salmon-pink hues and a delicate nose of fresh red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant). Supple, indulgent and finely structured on the palate, it is perfect for accompanying festive aperitifs, fruit-based desserts and white meats.

Réserve Exclusive Extra Brut: a new addition to the range conceived by Guillaume Roffiaen, this Premier Cru cuvée with a very low dosage responds to a growing demand for more taut Champagnes. Aromatic purity, saline freshness and great precision on the palate make it an ideal partner for seafood, raw fish and Japanese cuisine.

Réserve Exclusive Demi-Sec: the generously dosed version of the house style, the Demi-Sec reveals an indulgent and accessible character. Notes of candied fruits, pastry and honey, an unctuous and harmonious palate — it is the perfect companion for desserts, foie gras and aged cheeses.

Organic Extra Brut: the house's first organic cuvée, this innovative Champagne is composed of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay from grapes grown using organic farming, principally in the Côte des Bar and les Riceys. Aged for a minimum of 48 months in the cellar at a constant temperature, it unfolds a dense substance, pure and precise aromas, and a saline finish of beautiful length, bearing witness to the house's enduring commitment to sustainability.

Vintage 2019 Blanc de Blancs: a 100% Chardonnay vintage cuvée born from a fine, sunny and well-balanced harvest, this Blanc de Blancs offers a crystalline expression of Champagne Chardonnay. Pale gold robe, nose of white flowers, candied citrus fruits and delicate pastry, an ample, vibrant and finely mineral palate — this is a great gastronomic Champagne.

Grand Cru 2015 Blanc de Blancs: an exceptional cuvée crafted 100% from Chardonnay sourced exclusively from Grand Cru-classified villages. The 2015 vintage, sunny and concentrated, yields here a dense, complex Champagne with notes of ripe yellow fruits, brioche and toasted almonds, underpinned by a long, precise chalky mineral backbone.

Grand Cru 2015 Blanc de Noirs: the black-grape counterpart to the previous cuvée, this 100% Grand Cru Pinot Noir expresses the full nobility and power of the king grape variety of the Montagne de Reims. Golden robe, nose of ripe red fruits, black fruits, soft spices and brioche notes, structured, vinous and long palate, ideal alongside refined cuisine.

Palmes d'Or 2008 Brut: the prestige cuvée and absolute flagship of the house, Palmes d'Or 2008 is the highest expression of Nicolas Feuillatte's expertise. Blended in equal parts of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced exclusively from the finest grand crus, vinified and aged at length on laths for at least nine years, this exceptional vintage offers a brilliant golden robe, a complex nose of ripe fruits, pastry, white flowers and peppery notes, and a palate of rare minerality, dense, elegant and persistent.

Palmes d'Or 2008 Rosé Intense: the rosé version of the prestige cuvée, this Palmes d'Or 2008 Rosé Intense is a bold and deeply vinous Champagne. A radiant pink robe, an intense nose of red fruits, spices and black fruits, a structured, fleshy and long palate — this is the most intense and most gastronomic expression of rosé according to Nicolas Feuillatte.

Graphic Ice: a bold cuvée conceived to be enjoyed over ice with a touch of fresh fruit, Graphic Ice resolutely breaks away from the beaten track of classic Champagne. More generously dosed, fruity and indulgent, it evokes the Mediterranean art of living and offers a festive, summery experience, crafted for sunny aperitifs and terrace gatherings among friends.

One Fo(u)r: the house's nomadic and urban line, One Fo(u)r is available in Brut and Rosé cuvées in 20 cl mini-bottles fitted with a practical wrist strap. Ideal for informal aperitifs, festive picnics and moments to share in complete freedom, this original format embodies the modern and accessible spirit of Nicolas Feuillatte, without sacrificing any of the Champagne quality.