Roger-Constant Lemaire

The Lemaire family has been farming vines in Hautvillers since 1860. In 1945 Roger-Constant founded the house that still bears his name today. The estate is now based in Villers-sous-Châtillon in the Marne Valley, and the family has carried its knowledge forward through the generations. The address is 50 Rue de la Glacière.

Family and vineyards

Brigitte, daughter of Roger-Constant, and her husband Gilles Tournant expanded the estate to 12 hectares. Today the fifth generation runs the business, Guillaume and Sébastien Tournant-Lemaire. Guillaume is the cellar master, while Sébastien looks after marketing and export sales. The vineyards lie exclusively on the south bank of the Marne Valley, on clay and limestone, from Hautvillers (Premier Cru) through Cumières to Villers-sous-Châtillon. The grapes grown are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

Since 2001 the entire vineyard has been farmed sustainably, without insecticides, acaricides, herbicides or chemical fertilisers. The estate is certified HVE Level 3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale) and Viticulture Durable en Champagne. The HVE classification has been in place since 2018. To strengthen the vines, seaweed extract from Norway is used.

“In 1945 Roger-Constant founded the house that still bears his name today.

Champagne without malolactic fermentation

From the 2000s onwards, Gilles Tournant stopped using malolactic fermentation. This decision still shapes the style of the house today. On top of that come the absence of filtration and of fining. The result is fresh, precise and mineral wines with good ageing potential. All cuvées spend at least 55 months in the cellar.

• Select: a blanc de meuniers.
• Trianon: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.
• Rosé de Saignée: the colour comes from macerating the grape skins in the juice, and no red wine is added.
• Les Hautes-Prières: blanc de blancs from 100% Chardonnay, aged for nine months in oak barrels. The 2014 vintage won a gold medal at the Chardonnay du Monde 2026.

Visit and tasting

The house offers a tasting of four champagnes, with a guided tour of the vineyard and cellar. On Sundays it is open only in the morning and by reservation, and exclusively for tastings. Up to ten people are received per session. According to the tourist office, the four-glass tasting most recently cost 17 euros. For current times and prices, it is best to ask the estate directly.