Yann Alexandre: Eight Generations of Champagne Craftsmanship

A distinctive single-vineyard Blanc de Noirs from the grower Champagne estate of Yann Alexandre, this 2017 vintage comes exclusively from the coveted Sous-les-Roses parcel in the winery’s home village of Courmas, in the Montagne de Reims. The site is defined by shallow, calcareous-clay soils that are particularly well suited to Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, giving the wine structure, mineral depth and a strong sense of place.

The blend is composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier. Each variety contributes a different dimension: Pinot Noir brings shape, depth and firmness, while Pinot Meunier adds fruit, suppleness and aromatic generosity. Together they create a full-flavored yet balanced expression of Blanc de Noirs Champagne.

Fermentation and aging take place in a combination of stainless steel and oak barrel. The wine remains for approximately six months in stainless steel and oak before bottling, with partial malolactic fermentation used to balance freshness and texture. It then spends approximately five years en tirage under natural cork, allowing the Champagne to develop additional complexity, depth and a refined mousse.

The 2017 vintage was described by Yann Alexandre as a late year followed by a great summer that produced beautifully mature grapes. The resulting Champagne combines ripe fruit, structure and vinous intensity with the freshness and precision characteristic of the estate’s meticulous vineyard and cellar work.

Yann and Séverine Alexandre farm with a strong focus on biodiversity, healthy soils and careful manual work in the vineyard. The estate is certified sustainable by OCACIA, and Yann’s stated goal is to make Champagne as naturally as possible, using carefully grown fruit, minimal intervention and restrained sulfite additions.

With a dosage of only 4 grams per liter, this is a dry, focused and gastronomic Champagne. Its combination of mature fruit, mineral tension, fine texture and extended lees aging makes it an excellent choice for the table as well as for contemplative drinking.

Pair with roast poultry, duck, veal, mushroom dishes, charcuterie, aged cheeses, grilled fish and other richly flavored savory dishes.

Vintage: 2017
Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Montagne de Reims
Vineyard: Sous-les-Roses
Village: Courmas
Soil: Shallow calcareous-clay soils
Farming: Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
Vinification: Stainless steel and oak barrel
Élevage: Approximately six months in stainless steel and oak barrel
Malolactic Fermentation: Partial
Lees Aging: Approximately five years en tirage under natural cork
Dosage: 4.0 g/L
Residual Sugar: 4.0 g/L
Acidity: 5.55 g/L
Alcohol: 12%
Wine Type: Vintage Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Bottle Size: 750ml

This distinctive Brut Nature grower Champagne begins with the same foundational cuvée as Yann Alexandre’s classic Brut Noir, but it is aged for an additional year en tirage and finished with absolutely no added dosage. The result is a drier, more direct expression that emphasizes freshness, mineral character and the natural structure of the wine.

The blend is composed of 45% Pinot Meunier, 40% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir. The fruit is drawn from 20 organically farmed vineyard parcels spread across the communes of Courmas, Bouilly, Merfy, Chenay and Saint-Lumier-en-Champagne. Pinot Meunier contributes generosity and supple fruit, Chardonnay brings brightness and precision, and Pinot Noir adds structure and depth.

The vineyards are planted on calcareous-clay soils mixed with stones, flint and sand. This varied geology contributes both breadth and freshness, while the shallow, well-draining soils of the Petite Montagne de Reims help give the wine its characteristic mineral tension and energetic profile.

The assemblage is composed of 60% wine from the 2018 harvest and 40% reserve wine. Vinification takes place in stainless steel, preserving purity of fruit and allowing the character of the vineyard sites to remain clear. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, which gives balance and harmony to its naturally brisk structure.

Roche Mère receives an additional year of lees aging compared with the Brut Noir cuvée. This extended time en tirage develops greater complexity, a finer mousse and additional depth while maintaining the wine’s freshness and drive. With a dosage of 0 grams per liter, it is presented as a true Brut Nature, without added sugar at disgorgement.

The style is dry, focused and energetic, with a firm mineral backbone and a clean, precise finish. The combination of ripe fruit, extended lees aging and zero dosage creates a Champagne that feels both vinous and refreshing, with the natural salinity and tension of the terroir brought clearly to the foreground.

Yann and Séverine Alexandre cultivate their vineyards with close attention to biodiversity, soil health and careful manual work. The estate is certified sustainable by OCACIA, and the family’s philosophy is to allow each parcel and growing season to express itself naturally through the finished Champagne.

This is an excellent aperitif and a particularly fine partner for oysters, shellfish, sushi, sashimi, smoked fish, grilled seafood, fresh cheeses and lightly seasoned vegetable dishes.

Base Vintage: 2018
Blend: 45% Pinot Meunier, 40% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Montagne de Reims
Vineyard Sources: 20 parcels in Courmas, Bouilly, Merfy, Chenay and Saint-Lumier-en-Champagne
Soil: Calcareous clay with stones, flint and sand
Farming: Organically farmed parcels; Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
Vinification: Stainless steel
Assemblage: 60% 2018 base wine, 40% reserve wine
Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
Lees Aging: One additional year en tirage compared with Brut Noir
Dosage: 0 g/L
Style: Brut Nature
Acidity: 4.67 g/L
pH: 3.02
Alcohol: 12%
Wine Type: Non-vintage Brut Nature Champagne
Bottle Size: 750ml
UPC: 3760236800078

This refined Premier Cru grower Champagne is composed of Chardonnay from the lieu-dit Les Blanches Terres in Coulommes-la-Montagne and Pinot Noir from the lieu-dit Saint Lié in Villedommange. The blend highlights the freshness, precision and mineral character of Chardonnay, complemented by a small proportion of Pinot Noir red wine that contributes delicate color, fruit and structure.

Chardonnay accounts for 94% of the final blend. It is primarily fermented in stainless steel and allowed to undergo full malolactic conversion. Fifteen percent of the Chardonnay is vinified in oak without malolactic fermentation, adding subtle texture and complexity while helping preserve freshness and tension.

The wine is aged for approximately four months in stainless steel and blended with 60% reserve wine before the addition of 6% Pinot Noir red wine. It then spends a minimum of 48 months en tirage before disgorgement, developing greater depth, a refined texture and fine, persistent bubbles.

The Les Blanches Terres vineyard is characterized by calcareous, silty and calcareous-clay soils scattered with white stones. These mineral-rich soils contribute to the wine’s freshness, structure and distinctive sense of place. Yann and Séverine Alexandre farm their vineyards with careful attention to soil health, biodiversity and precise vineyard work. The estate is certified sustainable by OCACIA.

Elegant and gastronomic, this Chardonnay-driven rosé Champagne offers a graceful balance of freshness, texture and delicate red-fruit character. Its fine mousse, mineral energy and measured Brut dosage make it an excellent aperitif as well as a versatile companion at the table.

Pair with smoked salmon, tuna tartare, shellfish, sushi, roast poultry, charcuterie, creamy cheeses and delicately spiced dishes.

Blend: 94% Chardonnay, 6% Pinot Noir
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Montagne de Reims
Classification: Premier Cru
Vineyards: Les Blanches Terres and Saint Lié
Base Vintage: 2018
Reserve Wine: 60%
Soil: Calcareous, silty and calcareous-clay soils with white stones
Farming: Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
Vinification: Primarily stainless steel; 15% of the Chardonnay vinified in oak
Malolactic Fermentation: Partial
Élevage: Approximately four months in stainless steel
Lees Aging: Minimum 48 months
Dosage: 6 g/L
Residual Sugar: 6 g/L
Acidity: 5.51 g/L
pH: 2.9
Alcohol: 12%
Bottle Size: 750ml

This complex Premier Cru grower Champagne is assembled from four carefully selected vineyard parcels in the Premier Cru villages of Coulommes-la-Montagne, Villedommange and Vrigny. Compared with Yann Alexandre’s Brut Noir, the vineyard imprint is more distinctly calcareous, giving the wine pronounced chalky minerality, structure and freshness.

The blend is composed of 45% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Meunier. Pinot Noir contributes depth and structure, Chardonnay provides finesse, brightness and mineral tension, while Pinot Meunier adds fruit, generosity and suppleness. Together, the three traditional Champagne varieties create a balanced, vinous and deeply expressive cuvée.

Eighty percent of the wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness and purity of fruit, while the remaining 20% is fermented in neutral oak, contributing texture and subtle complexity without imparting an overt wood character. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is matured for approximately eight months in stainless steel and oak before bottling.

The 2015 base wine is blended with 40% reserve wine, adding depth, consistency and layers of mature character. The completed cuvée then spends seven years en tirage in the Alexandre family’s cool cellar. This extended lees aging develops a refined mousse, creamy texture and complex savory qualities while preserving the wine’s freshness, energy and mineral drive.

Wet clay and stone on the nose combine with buttery shortcrust pastry and a delicate edge of honey. The concentrated palate shows beautiful evolution, adding notes of honeycomb and chewy beeswax to a rich and structured body. Brisk, fine bubbles provide freshness and momentum, all set against a persistent background of chalky minerality.

Deeply gastronomic and impressively sustained, the wine finishes with a lovely saline note that emphasizes its precision and sense of place. Its combination of maturity, freshness and mineral structure makes it equally compelling as an aperitif or served throughout a meal.

Yann and Séverine Alexandre approach their vineyards with the care and precision of horticulturists, encouraging biodiversity, healthy soils and deep vine roots. Each grape variety and vineyard parcel is vinified separately before blending, allowing Yann to preserve the individual character of the sites while creating a harmonious final cuvée. The estate is certified sustainable by OCACIA.

Pair with roast chicken, turkey, veal, creamy mushroom dishes, lobster, scallops, grilled fish, aged cheeses and other richly flavored savory dishes.

Base Vintage: 2015
Blend: 45% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Montagne de Reims
Classification: Premier Cru
Vineyard Sources: Four selected parcels in Coulommes-la-Montagne, Villedommange and Vrigny
Broader Vineyard Area: Petite Montagne de Reims and Massif de Saint-Thierry
Soil: Calcareous, silty and calcareous-clay soils with white stones
Farming: Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
Vinification: 80% stainless steel and 20% neutral oak
Élevage: Approximately eight months in stainless steel and oak
Reserve Wine: 40%
Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
Lees Aging: Seven years en tirage
Acidity: 4.67 g/L
pH: 3.02
Alcohol: 12%
Wine Type: Premier Cru Brut Champagne
Bottle Size: 750ml
UPC: 3760236800078

This expressive grower Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir cultivated across Yann Alexandre’s vineyards in the Petite Montagne de Reims. The parcels are planted on a varied combination of calcareous-clay soils with stones, flint and sand, contributing freshness, mineral tension and complexity to the finished wine.

The 2020 base reflects Yann Alexandre’s meticulous approach to vineyard work and cellar craftsmanship. Each grape variety and vineyard parcel is vinified separately to preserve its individual character before the final blend is assembled. Pinot Meunier contributes generous fruit and suppleness, Pinot Noir adds structure and depth, and Chardonnay brings brightness, finesse and energy.

Fermentation and aging take place in temperature-controlled stainless steel, allowing the purity of the fruit and the character of the vineyard sites to remain at the forefront. Malolactic fermentation helps soften the natural acidity and gives the Champagne a rounder, more harmonious texture. The blend also incorporates reserve wines, adding complexity, consistency and additional layers of maturity.

The wine spends approximately five years on its lees in the Alexandre family’s cool cellar. This extended aging develops a fine, persistent mousse and adds subtle notes of brioche, toast and creaminess while maintaining the freshness and drive that define the estate’s style. Riddling and disgorgement are performed by hand, followed by a period of rest before release.

Green apple and lemon combine with toasty and earthy elements, leading into an energetic palate with fine, firm tension and a long, chalky finish. Red-fruit and red-floral tones unfold over a creamy, mineral and tangy base. The wine is long, complex and beautifully balanced, combining richness with freshness and precision.

Yann and Séverine Alexandre farm their vineyards with a strong commitment to biodiversity, soil health and careful manual work. Their stated goal is to produce Champagne as naturally as possible from healthy, fully mature grapes, using minimal added sulfites and allowing the identity of each site and growing season to speak clearly through the glass. The estate is certified sustainable by OCACIA.

This versatile and gastronomic Champagne is an excellent aperitif and a natural partner for grilled or roasted foods, chicken, curries, egg dishes, mushroom preparations, charcuterie and creamy cheeses.

Base Vintage: 2020
Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Montagne de Reims
Soil: Calcareous clay with stones, flint and sand
Farming: Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
Vinification: Temperature-controlled stainless steel
Élevage: Stainless steel before bottling
Reserve Wine: Included in the final assemblage
Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
Lees Aging: Approximately five years
Riddling and Disgorgement: Performed by hand
Alcohol: 12%
Wine Type: Non-vintage Brut Champagne
Bottle Size: 750ml

Awards: Silver Award Winner, 2025; 92 Points, Decanter.