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New School, Old Soul
Vincent Cuillier and Bérêche et Fils
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The cellar at Vincent Cuillier. Photo courtesy of Polaner Selections.
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As many of you know, I am always seeking out and championing new growers pushing the boundaries of Champagne. But make no mistake, I definitely have Krug and Dom Pérignon in my cellar right next to Selosse, Ulysse Colin, and Domaine de Marzilly.
Among those who have most impressed me in the last few years are Ullens and Vincent Cuillier. Funny enough, both new stars are located in the Massif de St. Thierry. Known as an unsung, sandy corner of the region northwest of Reims, and home to the infamous Chartogne-Taillet, this area is suddenly producing some of the most exciting, terroir-driven wines in Champagne. If you missed my most recent offer on Domaine de Marzilly (Ullens), please find it here.
Today, I am thrilled to offer a focused look at one of our absolute classic favorites, Bérêche et Fils (based in Ludes, Montagne de Reims), alongside these stunning new releases from Vincent Cuillier.
Many of these wines are in very limited quantities, and the fastest way to secure them is by using the links below. However, we are always here for any questions you may have at shop@mwcwine.com.
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While both houses represent precision and the excellence of grower Champagne, they offer very different experiences.
If you are looking for complexity, a creamy mousse, and historic pedigree, reach for Bérêche.
If you are seeking the cutting edge of natural viticulture, wines of raw tension and explosive saline energy, explore Cuillier.
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| The New School / Vincent Cuillier |
Instagram: @champagne_cuillier
What initially grabbed my attention with Vincent Cuillier was the incredible tension and textural nuance in his wines. His farming philosophy is built entirely around permaculture and agroforestry to keep the vineyard ecosystem alive and thriving. In the cellar, his approach is as pure as it gets: fermentation with indigenous yeast in barrel, absolutely no additives, a full year aging in wood, followed by 24 to 42 months sur lattes, and bottling without fining, filtration, added sulfur, or dosage. It is admirable that he is on a quest to find the purest expression of his terroir, but ultimately, it is his sheer talent and execution that make these wines so incredibly compelling.
The accolades are already pouring in. Both 2022 vintages below received 97 and 96 point scores respectively from Vinous.
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Vincent Cuillier in the vines. Photo courtesy of Polaner Selections.
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Vincent Cuillier
2022 Clos Forestier, Blanc de Pinot Noir Brut Nature
5 btls @ $145/btl
Massif de Saint Thierry · Thanetian sand · 97 pts Vinous
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| Located in the Massif de Saint Thierry, this site is incredibly special to Vincent. He refers to this single vineyard (called Au dessus de Resilva) as his regenerative sanctuary. It is completely surrounded by trees, making it the ultimate physical expression of his agroforestry philosophy. The vines here are grown in pure Thanetian sand, which is exactly why this Pinot Noir Champagne feels so bright, explosive, and packed with saline, mineral-driven energy. Because it sees zero dosage and zero added sulfur, the pure, raw power of the fruit and that unique sandy terroir really shine through. |
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Vincent Cuillier
2022 Chemin des Rois Brut Nature
11 btls @ $90/btl
Le Mont Age, Chenay · sand over limestone · 96 pts Vinous
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| Considered his signature cuvée, this is a brilliant blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Le Mont Age vineyard in the village of Chenay. The site itself is steeped in French history. The kings of France actually used to travel through these very vines on their way to be crowned in Reims. The vineyard sits on ancient sandy soils over compacted limestone and fossil rock, and Vincent isolated this specific plot to push his natural viticulture to the absolute limit. The barrel aging gives the wine a beautiful, mouth-coating texture, while the sandy terroir brings out an electric tension. |
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| The Classic Favorite / Bérêche et Fils |
Instagram: @bereche_champagne_officiel
Bérêche et Fils was built quietly by brothers Raphaël and Vincent on the strength of meticulous farming and a cellar philosophy that puts terroir ahead of everything else. The domaine was founded in 1847, but it is this generation that turned it into something collectors fight over. Raphaël handles the cellar and Vincent handles the vines, utilizing biodynamic practices across the estate with no herbicides since 2002, and an astonishing ten full-time employees dedicated to just nine hectares.
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Harvest at Bérêche et Fils. Photo courtesy of The Rare Wine Co.
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Please note, we have a very limited selection of these wines.
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Bérêche et Fils
2016 Champagne, Une Champagne Millésime
1 btl @ $855/btl
A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2016 base is a blend of Le Cran, Aÿ, Ambonnay, Cramant, Avize, Mailly-Champagne, and Beauregard. The wine was aged for seven years on the lees and an additional two years sur pointe.
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Bérêche et Fils
2018 Champagne, Ay Grand Cru, Extra Brut
2 btls @ $295/btl
A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay sourced from the Brise Pot and Froide Terre parcels, where vines aged over 40 years grow in thin layers of topsoil over deep Campanian chalk.
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