Champagne Philipponnat is a distinguished family-owned House with viticultural origins dating to 1522, making it one of Champagne's oldest continuously operated estates. Based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, the House has been shaped by more than four centuries of family stewardship and a commitment to vineyard-focused winemaking. Philipponnat is internationally recognised for its Pinot Noir-led style, structured elegance and the legendary single-vineyard Champagne, Clos des Goisses.
Quick Facts
- Location: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France
* Founded: 1522
- Ownership: Family-owned for over four centuries
- House identity: Pinot Noir-driven, terroir-focused Champagne
- Estate holdings: Approximately 20 hectares across Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ and Avenay-Val-d'Or
- Signature cuvée: Royale Réserve
- Prestige cuvée: Clos des Goisses
- Key vineyard: Clos des Goisses, a walled 5.5-hectare parcel with steep south-facing slopes
- Soils: Predominantly chalk, with exceptional exposure in Clos des Goisses
- Principal grape: Pinot Noir
- Key styles: Non-vintage and vintage Champagne, Blanc de Noirs, Rosé
- Vinification: Partial barrel fermentation, extended lees ageing, judicious use of reserve wines
Five Centuries in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
The House traces its origins to 1522, when the Philipponnat family began cultivating vines in Aÿ, a village renowned for producing some of Champagne's finest Pinot Noir. Over successive generations, the family acquired parcels across the surrounding slopes, building a vineyard estate that would become the foundation for the modern House.
Throughout its long history, Philipponnat has remained independently owned, allowing it to maintain a winemaking philosophy centred on patience, precision and the expression of individual vineyard sites. This continuity has preserved a distinctive identity within a region often shaped by consolidation and large-scale production.
The Legendary Clos des Goisses
At the heart of Philipponnat's reputation stands Clos des Goisses, a walled 5.5-hectare vineyard situated on one of Champagne's steepest and most dramatic slopes. Facing due south with gradients reaching 45 degrees, the site benefits from extraordinary sunlight exposure and chalky soils that encourage exceptional ripeness and concentration.
First planted in 1935, Clos des Goisses is vinified as a single-vineyard Champagne and has become a benchmark for terroir-focused winemaking in the region. The wine is characterised by remarkable structure, depth and an ability to age gracefully for decades. Unlike most Champagnes, Clos des Goisses is typically composed of roughly equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a blend that balances power with precision and complexity.
The vineyard's unique mesoclimate allows grapes to ripen fully even in challenging vintages, producing wines with lower dosage and greater aromatic intensity than conventional blends. Extended lees ageing of eight to fifteen years before release further enhances texture and allows the wine's mineral backbone to emerge.
Pinot Noir and the Pursuit of Balance
Philipponnat's vineyards are planted predominantly to Pinot Noir, reflecting the grape's natural affinity for the chalky soils and cooler exposures surrounding Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. This focus shapes the House style across the entire range, from Royale Réserve—the refined non-vintage cuvée that forms the foundation of the portfolio—to vintage-dated expressions and prestige bottlings.
Partial fermentation in small oak barrels and careful management of reserve wines add texture and complexity without obscuring the clarity of fruit or site. The approach prioritises balance over opulence, producing Champagnes distinguished by fine structure, restrained power and a graceful evolution in bottle.
Royale Réserve Rosé and the vintage cuvées further demonstrate the estate's ability to translate exceptional fruit into wines that reflect both the character of the harvest and the underlying terroir. Each release is built to reward patience, developing layered aromatics and a more seamless expression with time.
