Doury Philippe

Champagne Philippe Doury is a family-run estate in Pouillon, in the Massif de Saint-Thierry north of Reims. The house was founded in 1890 by the great-great-grandfather of today's family. The growers see themselves as part of a long line, and the family still works the same patch of land.

The family and their terroir

Philippe Doury has been a grower in Pouillon for more than 40 years. He works alongside his wife Alice, his daughter Enora and Thierry, who has been a farm worker on the estate for over 20 years. They farm 6.5 hectares, currently in conversion to organic viticulture. They grow the three classic champagne grapes: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. As for the soils, the house says the Pinots grow on sandy ground, which gives them their distinctive character.

Methods and cuvées

The conversion to organic farming has been under way since 2021. The family weighs up each treatment individually and uses seaweed-based products, among other things, to cut down on the number of passes through the vines.

According to the online shop, the range includes the Cuvée Trait d'Esprit, the Cuvée Saint Gorgon Brut and a Rosé de Réserve, also available in magnum. The Saint Gorgon is a blanc de noirs: the house describes the cuvée as 100% Pinot Noir from the 2017 vintage. The house mentions notes of blackberry, wood and spice, and an almost salty finish. For serving temperature, the grower recommends 8 to 10 °C.

Visiting and tasting

The estate is at 4 rue de Thil, 51220 Pouillon. It is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 17:30, and at weekends by appointment only. On the tour, the family shows you the vineyards and explains the different pruning methods. They also show you the gyropalettes (Giropalettes), the storage cellar and how the bottles are dressed, explain how champagne is made and invite you to taste. According to the tourist office, groups are limited to 20 people. You can reach the house by phone on +33 3 26 03 12 49.