Today at the head of the vineyard, Fabrice Pouillon, third generation, combines innovation and respect for tradition, with hard work in the vineyard, massal selections, compost, horse ploughing, plant cover, yield control and extensive plot work.
At Pouillon, we're winegrowers from father to son. Domaine was founded in 1947 by ROger Pouillon, who settled in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. His son James developed it, and since 1998 his grandson Fabrice has been in charge. Today, the vineyard covers 7.7 hectares, scattered over 42 parcels - in Grand Cru and Premier Cru - in the communes of Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Mutigny, Epernay, etc. It's a real playground for Fabrice Pouillon. While he is absolutely determined to preserve the Champagne tradition intact, he is well aware that there are new ways of looking at viticulture and winemaking, and is constantly experimenting with new techniques to live up to his credo: the red thread of nature that must be found in the wines.
In the vineyard appear massal selections, compost, horse-drawn ploughing, plant cover, ... "living soils make it possible to produce living wines". He imposes respect for the natural rhythm of the vine, short pruning, controlled yields, ... "a grape must concentrate the mineral elements of its terroir to the maximum". He takes a particular interest in the fruit and its harvest, waiting for complete aromatic maturity, hand-picking in crates, ... "there's a key moment when all the mineral elements, which support the aromas, have transited from the terroir to the berries"
If respecting the vine goes hand in hand with precise, thoughtful gestures, respecting the wine requires much less. We need to be as hands-off as possible (no inputs) and let the wine almost take care of itself (all indigenous yeasts). And to respect the unique character of each plot, they are all vinified and aged separately in oak barrels, clay, concrete or enamel, depending on the characteristics of the grapes and the cuvées for which they are destined. Trials in small ceramic and concrete ovoid vats are underway ...
The Champagnes of Domaine R.Pouillon are dense, structured and have a lot of character. They combine plenty of freshness and minerality with natural vinosity.
