Emilien Feneuil Les Ruisseaux

For centuries, viticulture was part of an ecosystem where vines grew alongside other crops. However, in recent decades this has been lost in favour of intensive cultivation. This has had a profound impact on biodiversity and, as a result, multiple ecosystem services have been lost. Fortunately, however, experts have become aware of the problem and have seen the need to promote wildlife-friendly practices. So when Emilien Feneuil attended a meeting on organic agriculture and saw experienced producers questioning their practices and showing their willingness to change, it was really inspiring. Not only did he abandon conventional agriculture to begin a conversion to biodynamic viticulture, but he was encouraged to make his own minimal intervention wines.

Emilien Feneuil Les Ruisseaux is a single vineyard champagne produced in the plot of the same name in the village of Sermiers, in the Montagne de Reims (Champagne). A vineyard of almost 50 year old Meunier vines whose soils stand out for being calcareous and saline. He works organically and enhancing biodiversity, growing vines with fruit trees, and the grapes are harvested by hand at the optimum point of ripeness. In the winery, the grapes undergo spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with native yeasts and then age in barrels for about 10 months. The second fermentation in the bottle is carried out with the wine unfiltered and unclarified and it remains on the lees for a minimum of 48 months before disgorgement “a la volé”.

The fruit of a unique calcareous and saline soil, Emilien Feneuil Les Ruisseaux is a sparkling wine that claims the art of functional biodiversity. A new generation champagne that is catching attention among the most demanding circles of the AOC Champagne.