Emilien Feneuil

History of Champagne Emilien Feneuil

The story of Emilien Feneuil is one of a career change inspired by a deep search for meaning. Having returned in 2006 to the family estate in Sermiers — initially focused on selling grapes and vegetables using conventional methods — Emilien experienced a turning point in 2008 upon meeting seasoned organic winemakers. This revelation sparked the conversion to organic farming, alongside in-depth studies in biodynamics, geobiology and agroforestry. From 2009 to 2014, he refined his practices while selling his grapes to houses such as Leclerc-Briant and Aurélien Laherte. In 2015, after seven years of intensive work in the vineyard, he took the leap: his first vintage was born, vinified at the premises of friends such as Aurélien Lurquin and Thomas Perseval. Released at the end of 2019, this 2015 vintage marked the beginning of a meteoric rise. Today, Emilien cultivates a holistic vision, incorporating essential oils, fermented herbal teas and a minimum of sulphur/copper, for wines that evolve with patience and intuition. His journey, punctuated by friendly collaborations with Haissam Kennar and Thomas Perseval, reflects a total commitment: restoring life in the soils for living, expressive wines.

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne Emilien Feneuil

Emilien Feneuil's terroirs, spread across 17 tiny plots in the Premier Cru communes of Sermiers, Chamery and Écueil, capture the diverse soul of the Petite Montagne de Reims. These steep hillsides, facing east, north and west, overlook the RD 951 between Reims and Épernay, near the Parc Naturel de la Montagne de Reims. Geologically uniform yet micro-diversified, they combine sand, marl, clay and soft chalk, with a marked salinity, a legacy of the name "Sermiers" derived from saline roots. Sermiers offers denser soils for assertive and wild wines; Chamery, in a sandy amphitheatre, produces more exotic and mellow expressions; Écueil adds a mineral touch. Emilien cultivates 43% Pinot Meunier, 28% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Noir and 7% Petit Meslier, the latter being a rare, structured grape variety and his "true love" for its sensory magic. The vines, pruned in Chablis style for whites and Cordon de Royat for reds, are now interspersed with spontaneous trees (willows, oaks, hazel trees) and fruit trees (apple, pear), fostering natural agroforestry. This explosive biodiversity — grasses, flowers — keeps yields low but quality high, protecting the vines from disease and enriching the grapes with herbaceous and saline layers. Purchasing a wine from this terroir means embracing a philosophy: "Never enough diversity and gentleness", for cuvées that breathe the life of the soil.

Winemaking at Champagne Emilien Feneuil

Winemaking at Emilien Feneuil is an act of respectful alchemy, guided by intuition and minimal intervention. It all begins with a manual gravity press (acquired in 2020 for subsequent vintages), favouring an oxygenated flow and slow contact with the marc, which is crucial for the stability of the wines. The musts, drawn solely from the first pressing, receive 30 ppm of SO2 at the press (zero for reds), then ferment spontaneously (alcoholic and malolactic) in second-hand Burgundian barrels (228–400 L, from domaines such as Leflaive). No filtration, no fining: the clear wines age for one year before bottling with a "Fleury" quartz, for a second fermentation in bottle of at least 48 months on lees. Disgorgement, without added expedition liqueur (Brut Nature at 0 g/L), preserves the raw expression. For rosés, a short maceration (10–24 h) or manual pressing; the Coteaux Champenois ferment in barrel without bubbling. This approach, refined through exchanges with winemaker friends, places emphasis on the natural rhythm: aerate, decant, savour over several days to reveal herbaceous, saline and spherical layers. The result: organically produced wines of rare purity, where the terroir sings without artifice.

The cuvées of Champagne Emilien Feneuil

Emilien Feneuil's range, limited to a handful of cuvées per vintage, showcases the diversity of his plots.

Cuvée Totum Brut Nature Premier Cru: A harmonious blend of all grape varieties and plots (60% Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay, 2% Petit Meslier), pressed and fermented together. Aged in barrels with indigenous yeasts, 48 months on lees. A philosophical vessel: straight, pure, vertical, with herbaceous and saline notes; ideal when decanted for a fine, integrated bubble.

Cuvée Les Basses Croix & Les Gillis Brut Nature Premier Cru: 100% Chardonnay from Sermiers, on saline sandy soils. Barrel-fermented, 48 months on lees. Intense nose of ripe fruits (pear, peach), lemon zest and hazelnut; energetic, fleshy, creamy palate, persistent saline finish. A vinous and fresh Blanc de Blancs.

Cuvée Les Puits Brut Nature Premier Cru: 100% Pinot Noir from the Les Puits and La Pucelle plots in Sermiers/Chamery, on soft chalk. Aged in barrels, 48 months on lees. Powerful and refined Blanc de Noirs: mineral tension, fine bubbles, authentic expression of terroir with ageing potential.

Cuvée Les Goulats Rosé de Macération Brut Nature Premier Cru: 100% Pinot Noir from Chamery (Les Goulats, 37 years old, north-east facing). Maceration for 10–24 h of destemmed berries, barrel fermentation, 48 months on lees. A rare artisanal rosé: pure fruit, terroir integrity, elegant bubble without dosage.

Cuvée Les Ruisseaux Brut Nature Premier Cru: 100% Pinot Meunier from the eponymous plot in Sermiers (50 years old, saline calcareous soils). Aged 24–30 months in barrels, zero dosage. Vibrant Blanc de Noirs: intense, persistent, fruity aromas, golden hue; a contemplative expression of Meunier beyond the bubbles.

Cuvée Le Caqueray Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature: 100% Chardonnay from Chamery (1988 plot, south-south-east exposure, sandy loam soils). Spontaneous fermentation in barrels, extended ageing. Deep and fantastic: saline freshness, vibrant minerality, purity of terroir.

Les Basses Croix & Les Gillis Sermiers Blanc (Coteaux Champenois): Blend of Petit Meslier and Chardonnay from the eponymous lieu-dits, 2019 harvest. Vinified in Burgundian barrels, 30 months of ageing. Magical complexity, herbaceous and saline sensations.

Les Goulats Chamery Rouge (Coteaux Champenois): 100% Pinot Noir from Chamery, destemmed and macerated. Aged in barrel. Wild, exotic, a reflection of the dense soils.

Les Puits Coteaux Champenois Blanc: 100% Petit Meslier de Sermiers. Powerful structure, sensory magic, for lovers of forgotten grape varieties.

Les Dres le Moutier Chamery Rouge (Coteaux Champenois): Pinot Noir from Chamery. Mineral exoticism, perfect balance.

Coteaux Champenois Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir vinified as a maceration rosé from Les Maconnettes in Sermiers. Spontaneous fermentation in barrels. Fruity and taut rosé.

Choosing a wine from Emilien Feneuil is a journey into a living ecosystem, where biodiversity goes hand in hand with excellence. These Champagnes and Coteaux, organic and free of superfluous additives, evolve gracefully over time, rewarding patience and curiosity. For enthusiasts of authentic terroirs from the Montagne de Reims, purchase your favourite cuvées now and let Emilien Feneuil take you to the heart of the Champenois countryside! Discover other grower champagnes such as those from Benoit Marguet, Larmandier Bernier, Agrapart, Laherte, Dehours, Françoise Bedel, R. Pouillon, Eric Rodez, Chartogne Taillet, Selosse, Jacques Lassaigne, Marguet, Leclerc Briant, Ruppert Leroy... Vins & Millésimes offers you the opportunity to buy online the finest bottles and magnums of wines and grands crus. All our wines are in stock and available for fast delivery! Feel free to explore the full breadth of our range of Champagne and sweet wines, terroir Champagne and vintage Champagnes, and in particular the cuvées of Champagne Emilien Feneuil, available to purchase!