The Aube: Why Champagne’s Wild & Rebellious South is Stealing the Spotlight

If your understanding of Champagne ends at the chalky slopes of Épernay and the stately maisons of Reims, it’s time to look further south. The Aube, long the quiet, Pinot-driven ugly cousin of the region, has remained in the shadows for much of Champagne’s modern history. For decades, the grandes maisons discreetly sourced fruit from its bucolic hillsides south of Troyes, while rarely acknowledging its origin. The reason? The Aube was considered second-tier; useful, but not worthy of celebration

by Lucy Edwards · source ↗

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Champagne M.Hostomme: A Century of Grand Cru Heritage in Chouilly - An interview with Laurent Hostomme

Rooted in Chouilly, the Hostomme family has been shaping wine for nearly a century, from its beginnings in polyculture and post-phylloxera recovery, to its reputation today as a producer unafraid to experiment with forgotten grapes, unconventional élevage, and even sea-aging. At the helm is Laurent Hostomme, the fourth generation to steward the family name. For him, Champagne is not only an inheritance but a living philosophy, grounded in respect, generosity, and continuity.

Arbane to Eau-de-Vie: Inside the Multi-Faceted World of Moutard

The rainy drive to Buxeuil reveals the character of the Côte des Bar: rural, rugged, and refreshingly unpolished. Far from the manicured elegance of the Montagne de Reims or the Côte des Blancs, this is Champagne’s earthy, southern sibling, raw and unapologetically itself. Alexandre Moutard, third generation, greets me with the ease of someone entirely at home in his surroundings: no fuss, no grand introduction, just a handshake, a smile, and a sense that we can get straight to the real stuff....

Champagne’s Village of Three Appellations : The History & Wines of Les Riceys

Tucked away in the Barséquanais, Les Riceys isn't just any Champagne village. It's the largest by vineyard area in the entire region, with over 840 hectares under vine. But it's not just size that makes it special. Les Riceys is the only village in Champagne that can legally produce all three of the region's appellations: AOP Champagne, AOP Coteaux Champenois, and the elusive AOP Rosé des Riceys. That alone should earn your attention.

The Aube: Why Champagne’s Wild & Rebellious South is Stealing the Spotlight

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Champagne M.Hostomme: A Century of Grand Cru Heritage in Chouilly - An interview with Laurent Hostomme

Arbane to Eau-de-Vie: Inside the Multi-Faceted World of Moutard

Champagne’s Village of Three Appellations : The History & Wines of Les Riceys