Lacourte Guillemart

Ecueil lies about 10 kilometres from Reims, on the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims. This is home to the Lacourte family, who have been making wine here since 1630 and champagne since 1947. The village's soils are classified Premier Cru.

A family for twelve generations

It all began with Nicaise Lacourte. He made still red and white wines, first for the clergy, later for merchants. In 1947, shortly after the war, Henri Lacourte took the step into champagne, under the Lacourte-Labasse brand. In 1959 his son Yves married Jeanine Guillemart from the neighbouring village, and together they founded the Lacourte-Guillemart brand. Since 2000 the estate has been run by Jean-Pierre and Christine Lacourte. The next generation is already involved: at the 2026 harvest, Émilie Lacourte reported on the picking as a winemaker. It began early, on 14 August, and brought in ripe grapes with fine acidity.

Vines and way of working

The main variety is Pinot Noir, which brings power and fruit to the cuvées. Chardonnay is added for finesse and elegance. According to an older press report, the family farms seven hectares of vines and bottles 65,000 bottles. The estate has been certified under VDC (Viticulture Durable en Champagne) and HVE since August 2018. The house states that every step from vineyard to finished product takes place on the estate, including tirage, riddling by hand, dégorgement and ageing in the cellar.

Cuvées, visits and tasting

According to the growers' portal, the range includes Tradition (Brut), Mineral (Extra Brut), Prestige, a Rosé and a Rosé Demi-Sec, as well as the Cuvée Pierre et Henri as a Blanc de Blancs and a Millésime. For the Brut Tradition, an older report gave 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay. The house also produces Ratafia and Fine de Champagne.

Visitors can tour the estate. The tour takes in the cellar, cuverie and storage room, with a film about the winegrowing year. At the end, four to five cuvées are tasted. Groups of up to 50 people are welcome. Opening hours differ depending on the source, so it is wise to book ahead, especially for weekends: telephone 03 26 07 73 45.