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EMMANUEL BROCHET
PRODUCER COMMENTARY
(Kristaps Karklins, The Wine Advocate)
"Emmanuel Brochet comes from a farming family in Villers-aux-Nœuds, a part of Champagne that transitioned from viticulture to agriculture (more lucrative, given their proximity to Reims) in the aftermath of phylloxera. One of the remaining outposts of the vine is Le Mont Benoit, where his grandparents had some 2.5 hectares, which were contracted out between 1962 and 1997.
In 1997, Brochet took over and started a project of his own—a decision he made freely and enthusiastically, rather than out of obligation. In 2005, Brochet stopped using chemicals, and since 2008, the focus has been on organic farming, with certification received in 2011. He sells most of the tailles, sometimes using only a small percentage of first tailles. Since 2016, his wines have been vinified in wood using yeast selections from Le Mont Benoit, and they spend 11 months in barrel before tirage. Brochet buys new barrels each year, primarily from Atelier Centre France but also from François Frères, Rousseau and Damy. On average, about 25% of his barrel stock is new, which he believes allows him to use less sulfites, as the wines are more stable. Small doses of sulfites are added only at pressing and after malolactic fermentation.
Everything produced by Emmanuel Brochet reflects an insatiable desire for excellence. Word is already out, but that should not stop readers from seeking out anything they can from one of the reigning champions of artisanal Champagne.”
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