Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne丨Wine Couple HK

Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne

法國銷量第一、全球銷量第三的香檳品牌

In the Champagne region of France, a land steeped in centuries of winemaking tradition, Nicolas Feuillatte has risen rapidly in just a few decades to become the number one selling Champagne brand in France and the third best-selling globally (IWSR 2024 data), thanks to its unique cooperative model and modern concepts. This young and dynamic winery has not only changed people's perception of cooperative Champagne but has also secured a significant position in the global Champagne market with its exceptional quality and innovative spirit.

延伸閱讀：Champagne 香檳產區

I. The Founder and the Brand's Legendary History

The story of Nicolas Feuillatte begins with a legendary figure—Nicolas Feuillatte (1926-2014). Born into a family of wine and spirits merchants in Paris, he gained extensive business experience and a network of contacts in the coffee trade in the United States during his youth. After his father's unexpected death in 1972, Nicolas returned to the Champagne region of France and inherited 12 hectares of vineyards in Bouleuse, near Reims.

A champagne enthusiast, Nicolas decided to dedicate himself to champagne production and officially founded his eponymous champagne brand in 1976. In 1978, he launched his first champagne, "Réserve Particulière" (Special Reserve), a wine that showcased Nicolas's generosity and entrepreneurial spirit, quickly becoming a sensation among his friends worldwide. Leveraging his connections in American high society, Réserve Feuillatte soon became one of the preferred champagnes for gatherings of American celebrities, including the Kennedy family.

In 1986, Nicolas Feuillatte made a pivotal decision—selling the brand to the Centre Vinicole de Chouilly, a union of 82 cooperatives representing the collective power of over 5,000 growers. This partnership marked Réserve Feuillatte's transformation from a personal brand to a collective brand, laying a solid foundation for its future rapid development.

延伸閱讀：Grower Champagne 小香檳農

II. Unique Cooperation Model: The Collective Wisdom of 5,000 Growers

The most distinctive feature of Vinicole is its unique cooperative model, extremely rare in the Champagne region and even the global wine industry. Today, Vinicole is operated by the Centre Vinicole – Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (CV-CNF), a powerful collective of over 5,000 independent growers who collectively manage 2,100 hectares of vineyards across five major appellations in the Champagne region: Vallée de la Marne, Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, Côte des Bar, and Côte de Sézanne.

The advantage of this collaborative model lies in its ability to pool the finest terroir resources of the Champagne region: Riccardi's grapes come from 11 Grand Cru vineyards and 26 Premier Cru vineyards, representing 65% of the total Grand Cru vineyards and 62% of the total Premier Cru vineyards in Champagne. Each grower meticulously tends their small vineyard, passing down generations of family experience, while the alliance provides technical support, modern equipment, and standardized quality management.

"Our destiny is cultivated together" is one of Riccardi's core principles. This collective commitment and spirit of unity, coupled with a willingness to innovate and a bold approach, fuels the brand's continued growth.

延伸閱讀：一文搞懂 RM Champagne , CM Champagne 和NM Champagne

III. Terroir and Vineyards: The Essence of Champagne's Diverse Terroir

Rigofija's vineyards are distributed across the most representative appellations of the Champagne region, each contributing unique flavor characteristics to the final Champagne:

Côte des Blancs: Renowned for its Chardonnay, it imparts elegant acidity, fresh citrus aromas, and minerality to Champagne, and is the primary source for Rigofija Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

Montagne de Reims: Primarily planted with Pinot Noir, it provides structure, red fruit aromas, and complex layers to Champagne.

Vallée de la Marne: Dominated by Pinot Meunier, it adds roundness, fruitiness, and lively aromas.

Côte des Bar: Located in the southern part of the Champagne region, it features outstanding Pinot Noir with distinctive red berry and spice flavors.

Côte des Cézanne Sézanne: Both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted, giving the Champagne a balanced acidity and freshness.

All vineyards are cultivated sustainably, emphasizing soil conservation and biodiversity. Mechanical soil management, regular soil analysis, and technical training are essential components of daily management. Sézanne also actively promotes organic farming, and some of its wines have received organic certification.

IV. A Blend of Tradition and Innovation in Winemaking

Rigofiel strictly adheres to the Champagne Traditional Method (Méthode Traditionnelle) while incorporating modern technology and innovative concepts to ensure that every bottle of Champagne meets exceptional quality standards:

1. Grape Harvesting and Pressing: Only hand-harvested ripe grapes are used, strictly adhering to the pressing ratios stipulated by the Champagne region—a maximum of 102 liters of juice is extracted from every 160 kg of grapes, and a maximum of 2550 liters from 4000 kg of grapes, ensuring that only the highest quality Cuvée is used for winemaking.

2. Separate Fermentation: Grapes from different plots, varieties, and grades are fermented separately, using both stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. Stainless steel tanks preserve the fresh fruit aromas and pure taste of the grapes, while oak barrel fermentation adds complex vanilla, toasty bread aromas, and a rounded texture to the Champagne.

3. The Art of Blending: This is the soul of Riccardi Champagne. Master winemaker Guillaume Roffiaen and his team meticulously blend base wines from different regions and vintages to create a unified yet vibrant Champagne. Non-Vintage Champagne (NV) typically blends base wines from 30-40 different vintages to ensure brand consistency; Vintage Champagne is produced only in the best years, showcasing the terroir of a specific year.

4. Secondary Fermentation in the Bottle: Sugar and yeast are added to the bottle for secondary fermentation, producing the characteristic bubbles of Champagne. This process takes place in Riddell's underground cellars, where the temperature is kept constant to ensure slow and even fermentation.

5. Aging and Riddling: Non-vintage Champagnes are aged for at least 15 months, vintage Champagnes for at least 3 years, and the flagship Palmes d'Or is aged for over 10 years (Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte). Riddling, using traditional manual methods or modern automated equipment, collects the lees at the bottle neck, preparing for disgorging.

6. Disgorging and Top-Up: Lees at the bottle neck are removed by freezing, and then top-up (Liqueur d'expédition) is added according to the style of the wine, determining the final sweetness level of the Champagne (from naturally very dry Extra Brut to semi-sweet Demi-Sec).

The story of Riddell proves that the cooperative model can not only produce high-quality Champagne but also compete with traditional Champagne houses in the global market. It is both a respect for Champagne tradition and a bold vision for the future, perfectly embodying the philosophy that "collective strength creates excellence."

延伸閱讀：Traditional method(傳統法氣泡酒)