The people behind the bottles
Ruppert-Leroy
Essoyes, Côte des Bar, Aube Champagne France
Bénédicte Ruppert and Emmanuel “Manu” Leroy farm four hectares around Essoyes in the Côte des Bar. Organic-certified since 2013 and Demeter-certified since 2014, they combine vines with livestock and homemade compost, crafting parcel-by-parcel Champagnes with a vivid sense of place.
At a glance
- Country
- France
- Region
- Champagne
- Village/location
- Essoyes, Côte des Bar, Aube
- Farming
- Organic — certified Biodynamic — certified
- Key grapes
- Pinot Noir Chardonnay
- Principal appellations
- Champagne
About Ruppert-Leroy
Bénédicte Ruppert and Emmanuel “Manu” Leroy took over the family vineyards in 2009, moving from selling grapes to making their own Champagne. Their first harvest vinified at the estate was 2010, alongside the start of organic conversion. The four-hectare domaine around Essoyes in the Côte des Bar gained organic certification in 2013 and Demeter certification in 2014.
The farm brings together vines, pasture, livestock and a vegetable garden. Homemade compost and biodynamic preparations help sustain the soils, while each vineyard parcel is vinified separately to express its character. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged on lees in barrels and demi-muids. The Champagnes are neither fined nor filtered and are released without dosage.
In the vineyard
An integrated biodynamic farm combining vines, pasture, livestock and vegetables. Homemade compost and biodynamic preparations support soil life. The different clay-limestone soils of the Côte des Bar are expressed through separate parcel vinifications. Organic certification since 2013; Demeter since 2014.
In the cellar
Separate vinification by parcel and harvest, with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation and lees ageing in barrels and demi-muids, with natural malolactic fermentation. No fining, filtration or dosage; the estate works without added sulphur for Martin-Fontaine.
Cave on Ruppert-Leroy
Thoughtful farming and a clear focus on individual sites give these Champagnes both freshness and texture. Wines for the table, with the character of the Côte des Bar at their heart.
