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Lacourte-Godbillon
The great-grandparents bottled their first own champagne in 1947, the grandparents gave the house its name in 1968 - and in 2008, Géraldine and Richard returned from the big city to rethink everything once again. Today, Champagne Lacourte-Godbillon stands for biodynamic viticulture in the Petite Montagne de Reims: 8.5 hectares of Premier Cru in Écueil and Les Mesneux, dominated by old Pinot Noir vines on pure limestone. The ninth generation of winegrowers, the third with its own label.
More about Lacourte-Godbillon
From the office to the vineyard
2006 was the year of decision. Géraldine worked in marketing, Richard in international industrial sales - both in Paris, both well off. But when the question arose as to who would continue to run the family winery, there was only one answer. They resigned, moved to Écueil, completed their oenology degree in 2007 and took over the vines in 2008. No gentle handover, no part-time winemaking: the break with the old life was radical. The great-grandparents bottled the first champagne under their own name in 1947, and in 1968 the grandparents gave the house its current double name. Now, in the ninth generation, it was time for the next step.
The forest of Écueil
Écueil lies in the heart of the Petite Montagne de Reims, wedged between limestone slopes and a small forest. This forest is more than just a backdrop: The oak trees from which the barrels in the cellar are made grow here - just a few hundred metres away from the vines. Wood from our own terroir, a rarity even in Burgundy. The soils are pure limestone, The exposure is mostly south-facing and the microclimate is protected by the forest. 85 per cent of the 8.5 hectares are covered with Pinot Noir planted, the rest with Chardonnay - an unusual dominance for Champagne. The vines in the best sites - Chaillots, Monts Âme, Migerats - are between 40 and 70 years old.
Demeter in Champagne country
The conversion to organic cultivation began immediately after the takeover, EU organic certification came in 2012, and the winery has been certified organic since 2020. Demeter-certified - the strictest form of biodynamics. No pesticides, no herbicides, preparations made from nettles, horsetail and valerian instead of synthetic chemicals. Hand-picking is a matter of course, as is the spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. The cellar is dominated by steel tanks and oak barrels from the Écueil forest, which give the wines structure without overpowering them. Not far from here, in the neighbouring village of Chamery, works Bonnet-Ponson The young generation there has also switched to organic, Pinot Noir dominates and terroir counts more than technology.
Three champagnes, three philosophies
The Terroirs d'Écueil is the foundation: 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, Extra Brut with only 3 gram dosage. It shows what the limestone of Écueil can do - mineral, taut, with fine citrus fruit and a salty note on the finish. The Chaillots Hautes Vignes goes one step further: a single-varietal Pinot Noir from the highest parcels, vinified in oak from the Écueil forest, at least 60 months on the lees. And then there is M.A.M. - Monts Âme-Migerats, named after two historic plots with 70-year-old vines, Brut Nature without any dosage. Anyone looking for champagne beyond the big names will find depth without frills here.