Champagne Marc Hébrart

France, Champagne

Marc Hébrart started making his own Champagne in 1962, and the domaine is now run by Jean-Paul, who took over in 1997. Jean-Paul tries to add to the family holdings every year, believing that even at current prices it's still a good long-term bet. He's currently running 16 hectares, 8 ha of Pinot in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Chardonnay in Oiry, Avize, Chouilly and Cramant, and more Pinot in Louvois and Aÿ - as well as the Clos le Léon in Dizy: in total 80 parcels in 11 villages.

The vineyards are farmed sustainably, with as little input as possible. Vinification is by parcel to give the widest possible palette when it comes to blending, and or course allowing for single-vineyard releases like the Clos Léon, a rare walled Clos in the village of Dizy. Most of the Champagnes are made in stainless steel, but since 2004 there has been a barrel-fermented cuvée which blends some of his Chardonnays on the Côte de Blancs with some of his best Pinot Noirs to the north of the Marne - 'Rive Droite-Rive Gauche'.

Jean-Claude Hébrart leads the house founded by his father, who bottled his first Champagnes in 1962 with just three barrels of production. Now, Jean-Claude manages 17 hectares of vineyards spread across 80 parcels in 11 different villages, with the majority of the vineyards located in Aÿ. He sources grapes for 25% of the production. Hébrart practices precise viticulture, using the Chablis pruning method (which he believes benefits the Chardonnay), working the soils and tillage between rows throughout the estate, and avoiding sowing. His Champagnes showcase vinous, incisive and saline textures, focusing on bright, crystalline characters. Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com  (Oct 2024)


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