Grower Champagne

Champagne - It's not just for celebrations

Most of Champagne's 15,000 grape grower have sold their grapes to coops or big Champagne Houses like Roederer, Moet and Chandon,  Veuve Clicquot or co ops. Today they are increasingly producing Champagne they are bottling under their own label. Not every Grower Champagne is available outside of France or worth exporting, but there are a lot of wonderful Grower Champagnes available and many of them are great deals. There is just something about drinking this farmer fizz: it has a lot of personality, displays terroir most other Champagne does not and can not, and is just fun to drink! Here are our articles on Grower Champagnes and many of our favorites that are somewhat widely available outside of France.

All About Grower Champagnes - All about "Farmer Fizz"

Vilmart Grand Cellier, Couer de Cuvee & Cuvee Creation Tasting - Jan 2012 - Can I just say Wow! A array of 90+ point Champagnes

Champagne Agrapart - Bottling their own Champagnes in the Côte de Blancs since the late 1800s.

Aubry Champagne - Unique Champagnes that not only use the main three grapes, but also "ancient" varieties still allowed by French Law: Pinot Blanc, Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), Petit Mesilier, and Arbanne.

Champagne Paul Bara - 11acres in Bouzy, 100% Grand Cru, and Pinot Noir dominated. Powerful yet delicate, dry yet rich, lots of minerals - very Bouzy.

Champagne Barnaut - Big powerful Pinot Noir dominated fun wines from Bouzy!

Andre Beaufort Champagne - Intense and beautiful biodynamic juice.

Boulard Champagne - The family has been growing grapes since 1792!

Ulysse Collin Champagne - A rising star in Champagne, whose wines are as naturally as practical and moving towards full biodynamic.

Andre Clouet Champagne - A small grower and producer with a choice piece of land who have been doing their thing since the time of Napoleon.

Gaston Chiquet Champagne - Wines with a lot of character that rocked my world! I immediately ordered more.

Champagne Roger Coulon - With 9 Hectares in Montagne de Reims, this family run vineyard has been growing grapes and making wines for 8 generations.

Egly-Ouriet Champagne - One of the original Grower Champagnes - rich and full bodied.

Claude Genet Champagne - Light & Lively Elegant Blanc de blancs.

Rene Geoffroy - Serious red grape dominated fruity and fun Champagnes.

Henri Goutorbe - Big, Bold, Fruity, delicious Pinot Noir dominated Champagnes.

Marc Hebrart Champagne - Wines that are both very much fun to drink and intellectually interesting. I have another bottle in my fridge to try as I type this.

Guy Larmandier - Chardonnay based wines from the Cote des Blancs of "notable elegance and personality."

Champagne Larmandier-Bernier - Larmandier-Bernier is a biodynamic producer in with almost 15 hectares, primarily Grand Crus in the Côte des Blancs.

Jacques Lassaigne Champagne - Although technically a negociant, this family run organic house makes kick ass wines that are serious, fruit forward and classy.

J Lassalle - Elegant yet big and opulent wine with lots of concentration.

David Leclapart Champagne - David Leclapart is a stunning small biodynamic producer of Champagne.

Marie-Noelle Ledru Champagne - An ultra tiny producer based in Ambonnay some critics go crazy over.

Lilbert-Fils Champagne -Very age worthy Blanc de blancs from a tiny Champagne property.

Champagne Jean Milan - Great Blanc de blancs from Oger in the Côte de Blancs.

Champagne Moutardier - A Pinot Meunier Specialist in the village of Le Breuil, west of Epernay, making "Modern Meunier."

Camille Savès - Kick Butt Bouzy Champagne I love: creamy, plenty of minerals, complex, and just fun to drink!

Pehu-Simonet Champagne - An up and coming producer from Verzenay in the Montagne de Reims.

Thierry Triolet - Chardonnay based wines from the Côte de Sézanne and good, solid values.

Champagne Vilmart - Near cult like status.