CHAMPAGNE MARGUET
Benoit Marguet
Coming from a long line of Champagne growers, it seemed to be an obvious choice for Benoit Marguet to go after this path. Following his farming and winemaking studies at the University of Reims, Benoit moved to Washington State to gain further experience alongside Paul Hobbs.
Benoit returned to France in 1996 to work for the family estate located in Ambonnay and known at that time as Marguet-Bonnerave. During the same period, Benoit joined "Groupe des Jeunes de la Champagne" alongside David Leclapart, Vincent Laval and Bertrand Gautherot, with whom he found a connection in their mutual interest for organic and biodynamic farming.
Coming from a long line of Champagne growers, it seemed to be an obvious choice for Benoit Marguet to go after this path. Following his farming and winemaking studies at the University of Reims, Benoit moved to Washington State to gain further experience alongside Paul Hobbs.
Benoit returned to France in 1996 to work for the family estate located in Ambonnay and known at that time as Marguet-Bonnerave. During the same period, Benoit joined "Groupe des Jeunes de la Champagne" alongside David Leclapart, Vincent Laval and Bertrand Gautherot, with whom he found a connection in their mutual interest for organic and biodynamic farming.
To transit the family estate to organic farming, Benoit implemented soil ploughing instead of herbicides. Unfortunately, Benoit's parents didn't share the same vision at that time and didn't let him continue his experiments any further. As a consequence of his parent's decision, Benoit left the family estate to set up his own négociant House.
In 2008, Benoit eventually came back and took over the 8ha of the family vineyards, turning them right away into organic farming. Later in 2010, Benoit invested in two horses, Titan and Urban, to take care of the mechanical ploughing. Finally, in 2011, he got awarded with the Demeter certification for biodynamic farming.
With an average of 40 years old vines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, most of Marguet vineyards are located around Ambonnay (7.3ha), and only 0.7ha of vineyards are a few kilometres away in the village of Bouzy. To reduce the use of cooper and sulphur, Benoit has been using herbal plants as well as essential oils. Following a holistic approach, Benoit believes that "each natural thing (mineral, vegetal, animal) is interconnected and communicates through magnetite and silicon. My work is to consider the divine in every part and to consciously respects harmonies".
Following his farming precepts, Benoit tries to have the most natural winemaking possible in the cellar. Grapes are gently pressed in a traditional 4,000kg Coquard vertical press. Juice will then go through 20 hours settlement before being transferred by gravity into a wooden barrel. Fermentation then happens with natural yeast, and wine remains on their lees for nine months, then the wine is drained before bottling instead of being racked.
Bottling and disgorgement are done following moon cycles with very little or even no SO2 added, and all his champagne are Brut Nature, Zero dosage. Note that the non-vintage wines are named SHAMAN, and all single crus and single vineyards are all vintages.
In his pursuit of natural winemaking, Benoit elevated his press and vats to the maximum height in order to only work by gravity, allowing the most natural flow and the conservation of energy. He also built a cellar according to principles of geobiology and feng-shui with natural materials such as wood and pure clay bricks. It hosts around 300 barrels, two casks (foudre), and a truncated VAT for the Ambonnay rouge.
Following his farming precepts, Benoit tries to have the most natural winemaking possible in the cellar. Grapes are gently pressed in a traditional 4,000kg Coquard vertical press. Juice will then go through 20 hours settlement before being transferred by gravity into a wooden barrel. Fermentation then happens with natural yeast, and wine remains on their lees for nine months, then the wine is drained before bottling instead of being racked.
Bottling and disgorgement are done following moon cycles with very little or even no SO2 added, and all his champagne are Brut Nature, Zero dosage. Note that the non-vintage wines are named SHAMAN, and all single crus and single vineyards are all vintages.
In his pursuit of natural winemaking, Benoit elevated his press and vats to the maximum height in order to only work by gravity, allowing the most natural flow and the conservation of energy. He also built a cellar according to principles of geobiology and feng-shui with natural materials such as wood and pure clay bricks. It hosts around 300 barrels, two casks (foudre), and a truncated VAT for the Ambonnay rouge.
REGION OF PRODUCTION
Champagne - France
APPELLATION
Champagne
FOUNDED
2008
VINEYARD
8 ha
CLIMATE
Warm and temperate
SOIL COMPOSITION
Clay, Limestone and Chalk
VARIETIES GROWN
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
AGRICULTURE
Biodynamic (Demeter)