Forest Marie

Forest-Marié is a récoltant-manipulant in Trigny, a village in the Massif de Saint-Thierry, west of Reims. The family's ownership can be traced back to a title deed dated 1746, which the estate shows on its website. Today Thierry and Gracianne Forest-Marié run the property in the ninth generation. Their daughter Marthe works alongside them, while their son Louis now makes his own cuvées under his own label.

Two families, one name

The name says it all: it joins Thierry's family from Trigny with Gracianne's from Ecueil. Over the generations, and through marriages, the estate has grown. The press house and cellar are in Trigny. According to one importer, the winery was founded in 1991. As a récoltant-manipulant, the family controls every step from vine to bottle.

86 parcels, three grape varieties

The vines stand on 86 separate parcels. They lie in Trigny and in the premier cru villages of Ecueil, Sacy and Villedommange. Depending on the site, the soils are made up of chalk, limestone, clay and flint. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are grown in roughly equal proportions. The oldest parcel, the "Chaillots", was planted in 1930.

The family prunes the vines by hand and lays a layer of mulch between the rows. This is unusual in Champagne, and by the estate's own account they have been doing it for 35 years. A US retailer also mentions an HVE certification.

Cuvées and visiting

The flagship is the Brut Tradition, a blend of all three grape varieties in equal parts, drawn from the wines of the different parcels. Alongside it you will find, among others, a Brut de Blancs, a rosé, the Cuvée Saint-Crespin and a vintage champagne from premier cru sites. According to one retailer, the Premier Cru Brut ages for at least four years on the lees. The Guide Hachette has listed the house for many years.

The estate sells directly from the cellar door at 20 Rue de la Chapelle in Trigny. For a visit or a tasting, it is best to get in touch beforehand via the website.