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For almost five hundred years, the Philipponnat family has left its mark on the soil of the champagne region
Apvril Philipponnat was mentioned as far back as 1522 as the owner of vines at a locality called Le Léon, midway between Ay and Dizy. Today, the House still owns several hectares at the same place, and has greatly extended its vineyards in the surrounding area. Apvril’s descendants developed their activity as winegrowers and then as winemakers between Ay and Mareuil-sur-Ay, where the House was established in 1910.
Since 1522, the Philipponnat name has been inseparable from winegrowing and winemaking in the region, and the Philipponnat family has been actively involved in local community life. With its geographical roots as well as its human touch, the House embodies the family motto, La Champagne au Coeur (Champagne in our hearts), which has driven it for sixteen generations.
In Le Léon, as in the rest of Philipponnat’s vineyard, particular care is taken with the vines and the soil: mechanical weeding without herbicides, use of cover crops, introduction of beehives, planting hedges to preserve biodiversity… a commitment born from five hundred years of history. At Philipponnat, respect for the environment is an integral part of our shared duty to preserve heritage in order to pass it on in the best possible conditions to future generations.
Two of the House’s emblematic champagnes commemorate this decisive year in its history: the 1522 Grand Cru and 1522 Rosé cuvées echo the indestructible link between the House and the family’s illustrious ancestor. These cuvées are a self-evident way to celebrate five centuries of paying tribute to Champagne. The contrasts between the 1522 Grand Cru and 1522 Rosé cuvées offer infinite variety at the table. Crafted from the House’s most remarkable wines, including those from the Le Léon plot in Ay, the majority of the juices are vinified in oak barrels and aged on the lees in cellars for up to eight years. For the brave, there is a whole range of culinary possibilities to be explored… but in Charles Philipponnat’s view, only simplicity can guarantee a flawless match. What could be more effective than a mature Comté or Parmesan cheese to reveal the freshness of 1522 Grand Cru, or a Bellota ham paired with 1522 Rosé?
