Champagne Discovery

Our “Champagne of the Month” for June 2026 is from Drappier, situated in Urville in the Côte des Bar.

 

Founded in 1808 on the site of the medieval Clairvaux Abbey, this family domaine is run by Michel Drappier ably supported by daughter Charline and sons Hugo and Antoine. The family estate extends to 27 hectares, predominantly located in their home village. Pinot Noir represents 70% of the vine stock with Chardonnay and Meunier accounting for much of the remainder. Over 3.5 hectares of the estate is held over to historical varieties: Arbanne, Blanc Vrai (Pinot Blanc), Fromenteau (Pinot Gris) and Petit Meslier.

 

In the vineyard, the practice of enherbement is actively encouraged, no herbicides or pesticides are used and the land is worked manually by way of horses and non-mechanised machinery. Electric tractors are also being added to the stable to further enhance the domaine’s green credentials. As well as being certified organic with Ecocert, Champagne Drappier were the first maison to be certified carbon neutral with Écoact. Two thousand square metres of solar panels account for around 75% of the domaine’s electricity requirements which includes running the electric fleet of tractors and goods vehicles. Electric vehicle charging points are also available to visitors to the estate. A new shape of bottle was designed by Michel which is 15% lighter than a traditional version and an array of recycling projects are in operation. Champagne Drappier take every effort to reduce their carbon footprint “from vine to wine”.

 

In the winery, cellar master Elysé Brigandat is supported by patriarch André, Michel and Hugo during the blending process. The domaine uses some of the lowest sulphur levels in the industry, fining and filtering is eschewed ensuring no animal products are required. Vinification is in oak casks – muids and demi-muids, a egg-shaped oak cask is also used for the prestige cuvée “Grande Sendrée”.

 

“Trop m’en Faut!” is, well’ you could say a blanc de gris as it consists entirely of Fromenteau. Born from the lieu-dit “Les Truchots” which is farmed organically (certified) and worked by horse under the watchful eye of Antoine Drappier. It is always a 50/50 blend of two years with this iteration being 2017 and 2018. In the winery, it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation but is not fined nor filtered and only minimal sulphur is used for preservation. It undergoes aging for 8 months in 600 litre demi-muids, the oak for which was sourced from the nearby Orient forest. Bottled in April 2019, further aging sur lattes is carried out under cork (sous liège); it was disgorged without dosage in June 2021 and sealed with a natural cork. 5,500 bottles produced.            

 

Tasted 16:00 Sunday 24th May 2026 (sowing/root day in the lunar calendar) 

 

Glassware: Chef and Sommelier – Reveal’Up ‘Intense’.

 

Appearance: Clear, medium, lemon.

 

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of acacia, orange blossom, honeysuckle, chamomile, green apple, spartan apple, apple compôte, pear, quince, gooseberry, orange peel, orange juice, black grape, peach, nectarine, mirabelle plum, roasted pineapple, papaya and canteloupe melon. There are secondary notes of brioche, chausson-aux-pommes, toffee apple, cloves, vanilla and toast Tertiary aromas include frangipane, marzipan, hazelnut, nut brittle, caramel, marmalade, dried apple, dried banana, cinnamon, ginger, hay and honey.

 

Price circa €85.00 

 

Drappier has been a firm favourite of ours ever since discovering them very early on in our Champagne journey. It is a truly wonderful family domaine, driving sustainability all the while continuing to produce exemplary wines. 

 

“Trop m’en Faut!” is a Rabelais play on words whereby the syllables from Fromenteau are swapped; it comes to mean “so good, you can never get enough” and we certainly cannot argue with that sentiment! Utterly delicious and one of the best wines we have tasted this year.