Family-owned Mareuil-sur-Ay house founded 1818, celebrated for its delicate brut rose and a long, cold fermentation that yields a fresh, precise style.
Signature wines: Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois
Tip: Its salmon-pink Brut Rose has been made by the house's cold, slow fermentation method since the 1830s.
Address: 40 rue Carnot, 51160 Mareuil-sur-Ay, France, Champagne
Family-controlled house at Tours-sur-Marne founded 1812, known for a fresh, Chardonnay-influenced style and a pioneering saignee Cuvee Rose.
Tasting: Visits by appointment; family group house at Tours-sur-Marne.
Signature wines: Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee, Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose
Tip: Its Cuvee Rose is made by skin maceration (saignee), unusual among the big houses.
Mareuil-sur-Ay house founded 1910, owner since 1935 of Clos des Goisses, the steep south-facing walled vineyard behind one of Champagne's great single-clos wines.
Tasting: Visits by appointment; house known for its walled single vineyard Clos des Goisses.
Signature wines: Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, Philipponnat Royale Reserve Brut
Tip: Clos des Goisses is among the steepest and warmest sites in Champagne, so it is rarely chaptalised.
Reims house founded 1851 by Charles-Camille Heidsieck and owned by EPI, prized for a large reserve-wine component and rich, mature Brut Reserve.
Tasting: The house is not generally open to the public for visits.
Signature wines: Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires
Tip: Founder Charles-Camille earned the nickname Champagne Charlie selling in 19th-century America.
Reims house founded 1785 and owned by EPI, Pinot-led with a crisp, fruit-forward brut and the rare prestige cuvee Rare.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings; book in advance.
Signature wines: Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut, Rare Champagne
Tip: Marilyn Monroe famously name-checked the brand; the prestige cuvee Rare is now its own label.
Family-controlled house at Tours-sur-Marne founded 1812, known for a fresh, Chardonnay-influenced style and a pioneering saignee Cuvee Rose.
Tasting: Visits by appointment; family group house at Tours-sur-Marne.
Signature wines: Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee, Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose
Tip: Its Cuvee Rose is made by skin maceration (saignee), unusual among the big houses.
Ay house founded 1838 by William Deutz and Pierre-Hubert Geldermann, now part of the Roederer group, with an elegant, structured Pinot-led style.
Tasting: Visits by appointment at the Ay house.
Signature wines: Deutz Brut Classic, Deutz Cuvee William Deutz
Tip: Its prestige cuvee Amour de Deutz is a refined Chardonnay-driven counterpart to the William Deutz.
Single-cuvee Blanc de Blancs house at Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, founded 1905, releasing only declared vintages of Cuvee S from one Grand Cru village.
Tasting: Not open to the general public; allocation only through trade and private channels.
Signature wines: Salon Cuvee S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
Tip: Salon makes one wine only and in non-declared years the fruit goes to sister house Delamotte.
Mareuil-sur-Ay house founded 1910, owner since 1935 of Clos des Goisses, the steep south-facing walled vineyard behind one of Champagne's great single-clos wines.
Tasting: Visits by appointment; house known for its walled single vineyard Clos des Goisses.
Signature wines: Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, Philipponnat Royale Reserve Brut
Tip: Clos des Goisses is among the steepest and warmest sites in Champagne, so it is rarely chaptalised.
Discover the famous "Côte des Blancs" Grand Cru vineyard, Epernay and Hautvillers like Dom Pérignon during an unforgettable half-day tour from Epernay. Visit a family ...
Enjoy a bike tour in the Champagne countryside, through the heart of the UNESCO-listed vineyards and valleys, from Reims, Epernay or Ay. Visit a family domain for Cham...
Discover Reims on foot, see its must-see sights and finish with a relaxed tasting. An ideal way to understand the city while enjoying its famous art of living.
Wine tastings and winery visits in Champagne (62) · Wine tours and day trips in Champagne (132) · Wine tours by bike in Champagne (8)
