A new form of champagne! *CLOSED*

WINELIFE went to visit champagne producer Fabrice Pouillon; the winemaker presenting a new method of champagne. An exciting innovation in the world's most complex wine region. We speak to him about his 'Méthode Fabrice', his life and what he experiences in this special French wine region! - TEXT AND IMAGE NIEK BEUTE

Interview with Fabrice Pouillon

From then to now!

Arriving in Mareuil-sur-Ay, we meet a spontaneous and passionate winemaker: Fabrice Pouillon. In his convivial reception room accompanied by Pamie (an equally spontaneous black labrador), we are warmly welcomed. Even before we can turn on the dictaphone, Fabrice starts talking enthusiastically about the winery, his vineyards and how it all started.

The R. Pouillon & Fils estate owns seven hectares of vineyards spread over several villages in the Vallée de Marne, and in the oldest part of the Vallée de Marne. The domain was founded in 1947 by Roger, Fabrice's grandfather. Fabrice proudly tells how hard his grandfather worked to grow the winery after starting with just half a hectare of vineyard. He also tells how, as a child, he used to sneak in the liqueur d'expédition: the sweetened wine added just before the cork goes on the bottle, to flavour the champagne.

A terrible vintage!

Soon the conversation turns to the past year, and what all happened. There was severe frost in the spring, which hit especially hard in the area where Fabrice has his vineyards. The vineyards froze to pieces and you stood helplessly on the sidelines and watched nature kill the dreams of a wonderful vintage. But unfortunately that was not all.

Much humidity followed, resulting in the arrival of a fungal disease that shrivelled the grapes to nothing. It was the year of downy mildew. And when you work organically as Fabrice does, intervention is limited. There were vineyards that had lost up to eighty per cent of harvest. It turns out that after 2003, 2021 gave the lowest volume of yield of any year on the Pouillon estate. 'But enough of this,' says Fabrice; we head into the vineyard. We jump in the car with him and the conversation continues.

Méthode Fabrice

Back at the estate, a bottle arrives on the table and we start talking about the Méthode Fabrice. Full of enthusiasm, Fabrice begins to tell us. Making a champagne requires a second fermentation in a sealed champagne bottle. Common practice is to add a combination of selected yeasts and sugar to the base wine. The ensuing fermentation in the bottle consumes the sugars and carbon dioxide and alcohol are produced. Given that the carbon dioxide cannot leave, it becomes one with the wine. Fabrice wants to get rid of the use of this sugar addition and has been working for more than a decade to find a solution to this. He has found a way to extract the glucose and fructose from his own grapes and concentrate them.

When asked exactly how he does this, we get a big grin and he says this is the secret of his unique method. He combines these home-grown grape sugars with natural yeast cultures from his own grapes that he lets grow up. A totally new way for this second fermentation to take place.

We ask if it really makes a difference in the outcome of the wine; does it taste different? Full of pleasure, Fabrice pops open a bottle of his new cuvée 'Grande Vallée' and says: 'Taste for yourself.' And as he pours the wine, he explains that the fermentations in bottle are slower and better. It seems as if the yeasts can handle this nutrient better. The mousse becomes softer and better integrated into the wine. The texture of the wine also becomes richer without letting the wine age longer on the yeasts.

We taste the wine and immediately understand what he means. The wine has the mouthfeel of a rich vintage cuvée and the mousse is soft and especially deeply woven into the wine. Something you wouldn't expect from a wine that has enjoyed less than 20 months of maturation in bottle. The conversation falls silent even as we enjoy this charming wine.

Cheers

Fabrice says that 'we get to take care of a beautiful piece of earth. That we continue to do so with dedication and remain humble to nature and the climate.' After this wonderful quote, we toast again and ask him to sign a magnum bottle of 'Grande Vallée' for us. After all, we are going to do a great win promotion following our visit. And you guessed it: this magnum is the grand prize. Follow WINELIFE's online channels and enter the action. Perhaps you will soon receive this rare bottle!

Full of inspiration, we leave Mareuil-sur Ay and full of our wonderful visit, we drive back to the Netherlands. It was a great visit and an introduction to a special person.

Fabrice thanks!

This competition is closed

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