Champagne Françoise Bedel

Françoise began working on the family estate in Crouttes sur Marne (Vallée de la Marne) in 1979. She was one of the first Champagne growers to obtain biodynamic certification, in 1999, and remains an enthusiastic spokesperson for biodynamics – and for her beloved Pinot Meunier, which accounts for a significant proportion of many of the blends here.

Domaine Françoise Bedel today amounts to 8 hectares, managed by Françoise and her son Vincent. The majority of the vines are between 30 and 60 years old. Many of the wines undergo extensive lees ageing; a generous 6 years for Entre Ciel et Terre and a whopping 15 years in the case of Comme Autrefois. The house style is rich and savoury yet beautifully fresh, with that sense of energy and minerality that so often seems to unite the best biodynamic wines.