CHAMPAGNE CHARTOGNE-TAILLET CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE

Based in the village of Merfy, Chartogne-Taillet is a premier grower-producer with a lineage tracing back to 1490 and Nicolas Taillet. The modern estate was established in 1920 through the marriage of Marie Chartogne and Etienne Taillet, and it is currently led by their descendant, Alexandre Chartogne, who took the reins in 2006. A protégé of Anselme Selosse, Alexandre utilizes centuries-old family records to inform a low-intervention approach, employing organic practices and horse-plowing across 11 hectares of unique sandy-clay soils. Today, the winery is a benchmark for artisanal Champagne, celebrated for its transition from traditional blends to parcel-specific cuvées that highlight the village’s distinct terroir.