Dominique Moreau

Dominique Moreau makes her champagnes under the name Marie Courtin. She founded the estate in 2005 in Polisot, in the Côte des Bar, and named it after her grandmother, a "woman of the earth", as she puts it. A note for context: the five generations of winemakers described in the often-quoted text on piollot.fr belong to her husband's family. Roland Piollot is a fifth-generation grower. He runs his own house, Piollot, while Dominique Moreau works separately from it.

One vineyard, one signature

In 2001 she leased one hectare, planted with massal selection, from a retiring grower. Neighbouring plots were added later. Today the estate covers around 2.5 hectares in a single block in the lieu-dit Le Tremble. The site faces mostly south, while one section with older vines turns slightly east. Pinot Noir takes up the largest share. Chardonnay grows on just 16 ares. A few Pinot Blanc vines also grow there, but so far they go only into her husband's cuvées.

Way of working

Moreau has farmed organically since 2006, with full certification following in 2010. Biodynamic practices build on that. She uses no commercial yeasts, either in the vin clair or in the bottle, which is very rare in Champagne. Each cuvée comes from a single grape variety, a single plot and a single vintage. The champagnes are generally made without dosage. The Efflorescence, for example, ages for 9 to 10 months in wood and barrique and then spends at least three years on the bottle.

The cuvées

• Eloquence: a blanc de blancs from the small Chardonnay holding.
• Résonance: pure Pinot Noir.
• Efflorescence: Pinot Noir, vinified in oak barrels.
• Concordance: a blanc de noirs, extra brut, made with no added sulphur at all.

There are also the cuvées Présence and Indulgence (a rosé), among others. Production is around 15,000 bottles. We could not confirm whether tastings or visits are possible at the estate. It is best to ask directly in Polisot.