Champagne - Christmas in a glass
We are daring to achieve a stylistic emancipation beyond the big names.
An article for INSIGHT LUXURY by Nadine Rieck
Christmas is approaching – as it does every year – with the unstoppable precision of a minute repeater. And although haute horlogerie places the utmost importance on fine complications, discreet excellence, and masterful craftsmanship, when it comes to champagne, people surprisingly often reach for the same well-known names, the ones present in every lounge and at every gala dinner. It's a bit like always wearing the same watch, which, while elegant, reliable, and high-quality, no longer raises the eyebrows of a connoisseur.
Yet within Champagne lies a world full of personality and subtlety that all too often remains hidden: the world of grower Champagnes.
We prefer them for one simple reason: they tell stories. Not the sanitized, marketing-optimized ones with drone shots over the Côte des Blancs, but the ones that smell of craftsmanship, of chalk, of decisions made early in the morning in the vineyard. They possess character, depth, and a signature you can taste – and that makes them a wonderful alternative, especially at Christmas.
We present three such treasures: Champagne Château de Boursault, Champagne William Saintot, and Champagne Veuve Fourny & Fils. Three independent winemakers who don't just produce Champagne, but wines full of character – for those who are ready to taste beyond the obvious.
Champagne Château de Boursault
Cuvée Le Clos: Finely sparkling, full of character and elegant.
The Cuvée Le Clos (walled vineyard), from Champagne Château de Boursault, is a lyrical reflection of terroir, tradition, and craftsmanship. With 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, it combines powerful structure and smooth elegance – a Champagne that both seduces and convinces.
The cuvée rests on the lees for over six years, carefully and calmly, and even after disgorging (removing the yeast after bottle aging) it is given another six months of silence until its harmony, just like a finely woven fabric, appears perfect and clear in the glass.
The dosage (small addition of a wine-sugar liqueur after disgorging) of only 1 g/l underlines the purity and precision of the wine and allows the natural finesse of the terroir to be recognized in every nuance.
The bouquet of Le Clos is captivating and multifaceted: delicate notes of beeswax meld with a hint of smoky vanilla, while on the palate, freshly baked brioche meets the gentle fruitiness of ripe figs. An experience that is both intense and finely chiseled. The finish is long and assertive, completing the carefully composed interplay of vibrancy and subtle finesse – a quiet expression of power and graceful elegance.
Why Le Clos is a hidden gem:
• The champagne is an exceptional interplay of powerful Pinot Noir and elegant Chardonnay grace.
• Small batches and artisanal vinification guarantee individuality, character and exclusivity.
• Long maturation and minimal intervention preserve the authentic character of the terroir and leave a lasting impression.
Recommended price in Germany: 0.75 l bottle approx. €85.
Available via www.happyhourcollection.de
Château de Boursault: A family legend and the only „Mise en bouteille au Château“ champagne of the Marne.
Champagne Château de Boursault is a traditional, fourth-generation family brand, now managed by Alex Fringhian. The château, built by the legendary Veuve Clicquot and located just ten kilometers from Épernay, was acquired in 1927 by the family's great-grandfather. His son, the grandfather, breathed new life into the estate, expanding the vineyards and laying the foundation for their own champagne production. Today, the 13 hectares of vines comprise Meunier (50%), Pinot Noir (30%), and Chardonnay (20%) – a reflection of the rich terroir and meticulous selection.
Champagne Château de Boursault is the only Champagne from the Vallée de la Marne that is entirely "Mise en bouteille au Château" (bottled at the Château). This means that the entire production process takes place within the historic castle walls: from the vineyards, through gentle pressing, vinification and aging in the historic cellars, to disgorging, dosage, and the bottling, labeling and presentation of each individual bottle.
More information can be found at: www.champagne-chateau-de-boursault.fr/en/home
William Saintot
Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru: A Pinot Noir in a class of its own
William Saintot's Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru is the heart of the estate – a Champagne that captivates connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Made from 1001 g/L of Pinot Noir, it originates from the renowned Premier Cru vineyards around Avenay-Val-d'Or, Mutigny, and Bisseuil, on limestone and clay soils that impart its freshness, minerality, and depth. Vinification follows the estate's time-honored traditions: 671 g/L of the wine matures in oak barrels, 20 g/L in stainless steel tanks, and 131 g/L in concrete eggs, giving the Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru exceptional complexity and structure. With a dosage of just 2 g/L and a minimum of 2.5 years of bottle aging, it unfolds its harmonious richness. Cold treatment* and filtration** are deliberately avoided – this way the natural texture, the variety of aromas and the fine microstructures of the wine are fully preserved.
The bouquet unfolds with subtle complexity: hints of red berries and earthy nuances intertwine with soft brioche, yeast, and a touch of fine spice. On the palate, the champagne is fresh and mineral with a pronounced structure, while its elegant balance reflects the terroir and the masterful touch of its creators.
Why the Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru is a hidden gem:
• 100% Pinot Noir, meaning: highest concentration, maximum structure, and purity of the grape. This gives it depth and fruitiness, making it an exceptional alternative to classic blends. – Vinification at William Saintot combines aging in stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, and concrete eggs, resulting in a remarkable complexity of textures and aromas.
• With an annual production of around 22,000 bottles, the Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru remains exclusive, full of character and individual – a champagne for connoisseurs.
Recommended retail price in Germany: 0.75 l bottle approx. €39.90.
Available from: www.champagne-characters.com
Champagne craftsmanship in transition – organic, single-vineyard, full of character
Morgann Trebutien manages the William Saintot winery, founded in 1955, with a keen sense of judgment and careful consideration. Located in Avenay Val d'Or, nestled in the eastern Marne Valley, not far from Bouzy and Ambonnay, the estate is dominated by Pinot Noir, which accounts for approximately 90% of the vineyard's plantings and is cultivated with the utmost respect for nature and terroir. The estate is currently transitioning to organic farming, while the family also operates a vine grafting business.
In the cellar, Morgann Trebutien relies on a careful, artisanal approach to winemaking: wooden barrels, concrete eggs, and qvevri impart nuanced maturation to the wines, the base wines are spontaneously fermented and vinified according to strict parcel boundaries. After extended lees aging, riddling is sometimes still done by hand, disgorging with minimal dosage, and some bottles even mature under cork – a rarely used, costly method.
The result is champagnes that breathe the terroir, of great tension and profound complexity, in which the experience of generations of winemaking meets the fresh impulses of a new generation – elegant, multifaceted and distinctive.
More information can be found at: www.champagne-william-saintot.fr/en
Champagne Veuve Fourny & Fils
Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Premier Cru: A quiet triumph of the Côte des Blancs
There are champagnes whose greatness is not revealed in ostentatious displays, but in subtle refinement and delicate precision. The Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Premier Cru from Veuve Fourny & Fils is such a wine. It reflects the soul of a house that has been celebrating Chardonnay in its purest form for generations in Vertus, a Premier Cru village in the Côte des Blancs.
This cuvée – a pure Chardonnay, Extra-Brut (very dry, with a dosage of 5g/l) – embodies the estate's uncompromising terroir philosophy. The grapes come from the finest parcels, including the legendary Clos Faubourg Notre-Dame, whose chalky soils in the Côte des Blancs impart an unparalleled minerality to each wine. The musts from the first pressing (the cuvée, representing the highest quality juices) undergo spontaneous fermentation before aging in traditional, large oak casks. The result is an elegance that subtly combines extended lees aging with gentle oak influences.
In the glass, the Blanc de Blancs is crystal clear. The nose is characterized by apple, pear, and delicate citrus fruit, accompanied by subtle floral notes typical of the Côte des Blancs. The perlage is fine and lively, the small bubbles lending lightness and elegance to the palate.
On the palate, the minerality of the limestone soil is revealed, paired with a lean, precise structure that unmistakably reflects the character of these terroirs. Every sip tells of the patience and dedication of the winemaking family who have cultivated their grapes and cellars for years.
Incidentally, a little tip for Berliners and lovers of fine dining: at Grill Royal, this cuvée demonstrates with quiet confidence how effortlessly it blends into a wide variety of dishes. There are champagnes whose greatness isn't revealed through ostentatious displays.
Why the Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Premier Cru is a hidden gem:
• 100% Chardonnay from Premier Cru vineyards guarantees minerality, clarity and elegance.
• The combination of first pressing, reserve wines and long bottle aging lends depth, finesse and personality.
• A small, family-run house in its 5th generation, with 8.5 hectares of vineyards, consistently making tradition, craftsmanship and terroir noticeable in every bottle.
Recommended retail price in Germany: 0.75 l bottle approx. €45
Available at Weinladen Schmidt: www.shop.weinladen.com
Since 1856, Veuve Fourny & Fils has preserved the art of Champagne in the hands of a single family, whose passion can be felt in every vine.
In the village of Vertus, in the heart of the renowned Côte des Blancs, the Fournys cultivate old Chardonnay vines on soils – some calcareous, some pure chalk – which give the wines the typical fine minerality and lightness of this terroir.
What distinguishes Veuve Fourny & Fils is not size, but care: In the fifth generation, the brothers Charles Henry Fourny and Emmanuel Fourny run the house — with a firm belief in plot work, spontaneous fermentation and artisanal processing that brings out the terroir in its purest form.
A jewel in their portfolio is the rare monopoly vineyard Clos Faubourg Notre Dame, a true rarity in Champagne. It has been exclusively owned by the Fourny family since 1930.
The result of this careful approach is champagnes that focus less on show and more on substance: stylish, clear, with restrained dosage, but with a fine structure, mineral depth and a terroir character that speaks — quietly, but clearly.
Veuve Fourny & Fils is not one of those firms that seeks to impress with size. It is a firm that works with care and dignity—a firm that is recognized and appreciated for its refinement, its authenticity, its respect for the land it cultivates.
More information can be found at: www.champagne-veuve-fourny.com/en/
Anyone who drinks a glass of Champagne Château de Boursault, William Saintot or Veuve Fourny & Fils at Christmas tastes the family stories and their soul, quiet, honest and unadulterated, as only winemakers leave in their bottles.
In that spirit: Merry Christmas!
*Cold treatment: In cold treatment, the wine is cooled to a very low temperature for a short time so that solid components such as proteins or small particles of cloudiness precipitate out and can later be easily removed. This keeps the wine clear, but it loses some of its natural richness and aromatic complexity.
**Filtration: Filtration is a process in which the wine is passed through very fine filters to remove even the smallest particles, yeast cells, or sediment. This also ensures absolute clarity and stability, but can slightly diminish the texture and full flavor.
Deutsch 
English (UK)