Description
In the last few years, there’s been an explosion of Brochet’s coming into the Champagne market. Emmanuel Brochet sits somewhat in the original generation of grower producers, having farmed Le Mont Benoit to produce his own wines since 1997. His first release under his eponymous label came in 2002.
Located in Villers-Aux-Nœuds, a 5-minute drive south from Reims, Emmanuel is the first generation of the family estate to begin producing Champagnes, with previous generations having sold off the grapes to the negoce. His initial fastidious approach was purely on the 2.5 hectares of Le Mont Benoit, with recent years having seen an expansion of organically-certified vineyards and like-minded growers with which he works.
In 2008, he began the conversion to organic farming. “The way I came to organic farming was not through any sort of militant philosophy, but through the pleasure of wine”, he says. “If you take pleasure in what you do, and if your environment gives you pleasure, your work will be better. It’s a question of harmony.” He believes that it has improved the overall quality of his wines. “I find more minerality in them and a richer expression. The wines are more complex, with more aroma, and extra length on the palate.”
The work in the cellar mirrors the attention to detail shown in the vines. Musts are never capitalized, with responsible farming allowing full ripeness to be achieved. The entirety of production sees oak for primary fermentation, where it spends roughly 11 months before going to bottle for secondary fermentation. Fermentations are spontaneous, and occur in a variety of barrels ranging from new to ten years old. In 2006, Manu purchased a 2,000kg vertical press – half the size of a standard Champagne press – to allow him to a deeper dive into the nuances within the parcels. He focuses on the coeur de cuvée–the heart of the first pressing–which he believes results in the best quality Champagnes being produced.
This quality led approach has cemented Emmanuel Brochet as one of the leading growers for the entire region, and one whose Champagnes deserve a place in all aficionado’s cellars.
