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.
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.
Address: 13 rue du Pont, Mareuil-sur-Ay, 51160 Ay-Champagne, France
Family Reims house founded 1808 by Apolline Henriot, Chardonnay-leaning with a fresh, refined style and the prestige Cuve des Enchanteleurs.
Tasting: Visits by appointment in Reims; book ahead in high season.
Signature wines: henriot-brut-souverain, henriot-blanc-de-blancs
Tip: The house has a strong Cote des Blancs sourcing, giving its blends a Chardonnay backbone.
Reims house founded 1760 and part of Lanson-BCC, known for a fresh, malolactic-free style and the walled Clos Lanson vineyard in the city.
Tasting: Year-round guided tours of the Clos Lanson, winery and cellars; reservations required.
Signature wines: lanson-le-black-creation, lanson-clos-lanson
Tip: Lanson traditionally blocks malolactic fermentation, keeping its wines crisp and ageworthy.
Reims house founded 1827 and owned by Pernod Ricard, Pinot-led with the red-sash Cordon Rouge brut and around 25 km of city cellars.
Tasting: Cellar tours and tastings daily; book in advance, cellars span around 25 km.
Signature wines: mumm-cordon-rouge
Tip: The Cordon Rouge red sash references the French Legion of Honour ribbon.
The oldest wine house in Champagne, established at Ay in 1584 and now based in Epernay, owned by Renaud-Cointreau and known for blocking malolactic fermentation.
Tasting: Visits to the Epernay house and its classified one-hectare park, open to the public since 2021.
Signature wines: gosset-grande-reserve-brut, gosset-grand-blanc-de-blancs
Tip: Gosset began as a still-wine producer in 1584, long before sparkling Champagne existed.
Cult Avize grower under Anselme Selosse, applying Burgundian, low-intervention and oxidative methods to terroir-driven Blanc de Blancs and lieu-dit cuvees.
Tasting: No general visits; the family also runs the Hotel Restaurant Les Avises in Avize. Allocation only.
Signature wines: selosse-initial, selosse-substance
Tip: Selosse pioneered grower-Champagne terroir thinking; bottles are scarce and allocation-only.
Benchmark Ambonnay grower under Francis Egly, working old Grand Cru Pinot Noir at low yields with very long lees ageing for powerful, vinous Champagne.
Tasting: Grower estate; visits only by prior arrangement, subject to availability.
Signature wines: egly-ouriet-les-vignes-de-vrigny, egly-ouriet-grand-cru-brut-tradition
Tip: Les Vignes de Vrigny is a rare 100 percent Pinot Meunier Premier Cru bottling.
