Marguet Père & Fils

Family and history

The origins of the house of Marguet go back to around 1875 and Émile Marguet. In 1883 he had his best parcels on the Côte des Blancs and the Grande Montagne de Reims grafted, in anticipation of phylloxera. Today Benoît Marguet runs the estate as the fifth generation. He took over in 2005, and the house of Marguet-Bonnerave has traded as Champagne Marguet Père & Fils ever since. It is based on the Place Barancourt in Ambonnay, a grand cru village on the Montagne de Reims.

Vineyards and methods

The estate's own vines cover 7.3 hectares in Ambonnay and 0.7 hectares in Bouzy. In Ambonnay they include the sites Les Saints Remys, Les Beurys, Les Crayères, La Grande Ruelle, Les Bermonts and Le Parc. The estate is planted with 63 per cent Pinot Noir and 37 per cent Chardonnay. The house also works with certified organic partners in Cumières, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant.

The vineyards have been farmed biodynamically since 2009 and are certified by Ecocert and Demeter. Since 2010 Benoît Marguet has used draught horses for working the soil. Instead of pesticides he uses herbal infusions and decoctions (phytotherapy) as well as essential oils (aromatherapy). The Ambonnay cuvées are released as Brut Nature, that is, with no dosage.

The cuvées

The range is broader than a pure blanc de noirs. Chardonnay plays an important part, and rosé and vintage champagnes are part of the line-up too:

• Shaman: grand cru, Pinot Noir-led, also made as a rosé
• Ambonnay: grand cru from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the 2018 vintage with 63 per cent Pinot Noir and 37 per cent Chardonnay
• Les Crayères, Les Bermonts, Le Parc: single-site cuvées, with Le Parc as a grand cru blanc de blancs
• Sapience: premier cru vintage champagne

Visits and tastings

The house offers a tour followed by a tasting, by prior appointment only. champagne.fr lists opening hours of daily 8 am to 12 noon and 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Getting in touch in advance is therefore essential.