Flavien Nowack

Vandières, Vallée de la Marne (Rive Gauche) — Champagne

Flavien Nowack’s family has been making traditional, blended champagnes in the Marne Valley for generations in the village of Vandières. Approximately 75% of the family’s vines are planted to Meunier, with the remaining 25% planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In 2011, having studied with younger generation grower-producers like Emmanuel Brochet, Flavien gradually began moving his family’s estate’s production, parcel by parcel, in a new grower-oriented direction – focusing on organic farming, minimal intervention champagne-making, and single parcel, single vintage bottlings. Each year, he selects a single parcel from the family estate to rehabilitate and transition into organic farming, choosing to vinify in a way that he feels best captures the individual site.

Passionate about the idea that nothing should come between the purest expression of terroir – he farms organically, does not chaptalize, and does not seek malolactic fermentation for his base wines. He relies on the natural yeast of unfermented grape must as his prise de mousse for secondary fermentation in bottle. As a result, these Champagnes are lower in pressure than typical, creating a noticeable vinous quality in these exceptionally soft and delicate wines. He is a young talent with a clear vision.

All three of Flavien’s crus are at the same elevation, between 100-120m, with marne subsoil 1.5 to 2m below the surface. The wines are fermented in approximately 2/3 tank and 1/3 barrel (228L) with no new wood. Flavien keeps only the cuvée from the press for his champagnes.

Wanting to explore the rich viticultural diversity in the Marne, Flavien has also created a second range in his portfolio – Cru d’Origine – which features a single village. The fruit is a mixture of his own holdings and purchased fruit from like-minded, organic growers. This project is meant to be an exploration of site. His first release in the Cru d’Origine series focuses on his native Vandières.