45% Meunier, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. This is one of the finest grower-estates in the Grande Vallée de la Marne. Chiquet’s wines combine a generous depth of fruit with a pronounced character of place. Chiquet’s wines generally show well young, thanks to the forward fruitiness of their Marne terroirs. Yet with their balance and depth they can also age extremely well.

This is a large estate as Récoltants go, with 22 hectares. Chiquets have vineyards in Hautvillers, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and in Aÿ, from which they make what is probably the only all-Chardonnay Champagne to emerge from this Pinot Noir town. Their base wines always undergo malolactic, but the Champagnes are quite low in dosage, yet they have a suave caramelly richness.

Eight generations have passed since Nicholas Chiquet planted his first vine in 1746s. In 1919, Fernand and Gaston Chiquet –winemakers from the cradle – combined their talents to establish a winery. They are pioneers in Champagne: among the very first to grow their own grapes, produce their own champagne and market it under their own label, Chiquet Frères. In 1935 Gaston separates from his brother to create his own label. Gaston and his son, Claude, expand the family’s holdings into the regions of Aÿ and Hautvillers in the 1950’s. Grapes from these vines increase the possibilities for blending – the essential art of champagne. The winery is now run by Antoine and Nicolas Chiquet. These brothers assure continuity while respecting their ancestral rules: “Our goal is to maintain the quality we have inherited.” The techniques improve – the tradition endures.