Champagne Marc Hébrart is one of the shining lights in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, one of the most renowned villages in the Marne Valley: Home to Billecart-Salmon and famous Philipponnat ‘Clos des Goisses’ vineyard, many believe Mareuil should be classified as Grand Cru. It is there, across the road from the iconic vineyard, that esteemed grower Marc Hébrart has produced Pinot Noir-dominated Champagnes since 1963, formerly providing grapes to prestigious houses before choosing to bottle its production under its own name. Jean-Paul Hébrart, the current owner and winemaker, took over from his father Marc when he retired in 1997. A member of the renowned Special Club of Growers (Tresors de Champagne) since 1985, he has gradually developed the estate in the last 20 years into one of the very finest grower estates in Champagne.
A true man of the land and Terroir, he slowly acquired high-quality parcels to now possess 14 hectares of vines on 65 of the best sites in 6 different Grand and Premier Cru villages. All these parcels are vinified separately to preserve their distinct identities, giving a greater selection for the blends and providing wines which are full flavoured with excellent balance and length, including some prized old vines demonstrating further depth and complexity. The Hébrart wines are truly of both place and person, the kind, welcoming and generous qualities that Jean-Paul Hébrart exudes can be found in all of his Cuvées. And while he could easily rest on his laurels at this point, JP instead continues to expand his range, experimenting with lower dosage levels, and producing stunning new releases from recently acquired, historic vineyards such as Clos Le Leon, one rapidly rising to fame.
His dedication is second to none and results in arguably some of the best expressions of Pinot Noir-dominated Champagne: Fine, elegant, precise and Chalky while fresh and perfectly balanced. A craft perfectly summarized by Peter Liem in his Essential Guide to Champagne:
“Hébrart’s wines have a broad appeal: if you like to think about your wines, they’re intellectually engaging enough to satisfy you; on the other hand, if you’re just looking to drink, they’re simply delicious. The wines are full and generous without being weighty, complex and soil-driven without being demanding. Overall, the entire range is of consistently high quality, and represents excellent value for the money.” - Peter Liem
