Champagne Nicolas Maillart

Champagne Nicolas Maillart

Champagne Nicolas Maillart is a Récoltant-Manipulant from Ecueil in the Montagne de Reims. The family has been working as vignerons since 1703. Today Nicolas Maillart leads the estate and vinifies champagne from Premier Cru and Grand Cru sites in Ecueil, Villers-Allerand, and Bouzy.

History

The Maillart family has been growing vines in the Montagne de Reims since 1703. In recent years, the estate has made a name for itself as an uncompromising single-vineyard producer. In 2020, the cuvée Les Jolivettes was named number 1 of the 100 best Blanc de Noirs by Richard Juhlin, while Les Loges received 94 points. A year later, Juhlin named Nicolas Maillart Best Champagne Grower of the Year.

In 2021, three cuvées made it to the top-10 lists: Montchenot and the Rosé among the best champagnes in their categories. La Revue des Vins de France awarded Mont Martin 93 points in 2022, and Platine 92 points in 2023. In the Guide des meilleurs vins de France 2025, the estate received two stars.

Vignoble & Soil

Nicolas Maillart manages vineyard plots in Ecueil, Villers-Allerand, and Bouzy. The soils are consistently clay-limestone over chalk subsoil, sometimes with shallow chalk layers directly beneath the surface. In Ecueil there are parcels like Les Auges and Les Courzy, in Villers-Allerand the Mont Martin and Les Loges sites, and in Bouzy Grand Cru the south-facing Les Jolivettes site.

The soil signature is limestone-rich clay over chalk, sometimes with a high clay component. In Bouzy, the Grand Cru terroir lies on a south-facing slope with intense limestone influence.

Viticulture & Sustainability

Nicolas Maillart works with sélection massale – clonal diversity instead of clone selection. Harvesting is selective, and intervention in the vineyard remains minimal. No specific organic or HVE certifications are documented; the approach is focused on precision and terroir expression.

Vinification

Vinification is consistently done in oak barrels (228 liters), with the wines aging on fine lees. Nicolas Maillart ferments spontaneously, without filtration or fining. Malolactic fermentation is blocked – consistently across all cuvées. The result is a cool, structured style with vibrant acidity and saline texture.

Dosage ranges between 0 and 6 g/l, with many cuvées being Brut Nature or Extra Brut. Sulfur is used minimally. The philosophy is clear: terroir, freshness, structure. No crowd-pleasing champagne, but wines with conviction.

The Cuvées in Detail

Platine Premier Cru

Powerful, clear, juicy, with backbone. Assemblage from 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2016, aged in oak on fine lees, without filtration or fining. No malo. Fresh, precise, slightly nutty with fine creaminess.

62% Pinot Noir, 28% Chardonnay, 10% Meunier · 2.5 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Terroir: Villers-Allerand, Bouzy, Ecueil · Disgorged 07/2024

Rosé Premier Cru

Rosé d'assemblage and rosé de macération. Aged in oak on fine lees, no malo, unfined, unfiltered. Fruity, clear, with depth, a hint of spice and structure. Dry and serious.

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay · 1 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Assemblage 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 · Disgorged 09/2024

Montchenot Premier Cru

100% Pinot Noir, vinified in oak, without fining or filtration. Macération à froid, no malo. Powerful with dark fruit, fine spice, cool chalky minerality.

100% Pinot Noir · 1 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Base 2019 · Clay-limestone soil over chalk · Disgorged 04/2025

Les Loges Premier Cru

100% Pinot Noir from Villers-Allerand, sélection massale. Spontaneously fermented in 228l barrels, no sulfur, no malo. Floral, creamy, saline, enormously structured. Papaya, white peach.

100% Pinot Noir · 0 g/l Dosage (Brut Nature) · Base 2022 · 10 months aging · Villers-Allerand Premier Cru, Montagne de Reims · Disgorged 10/2022

Mont Martin Premier Cru

100% Meunier. Aged in oak on lees, no malo, unfiltered, unfined. Structured, mineral, citrusy-herbal, cool. Not a crowd-pleaser, but with conviction.

100% Meunier · 1 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Base 2019 · Mont Martin, clay-limestone soil over chalk · Disgorged 10/2023

Mont Martin Rosé Premier Cru

100% Meunier from Villers-Allerand, sélection massale. Cold maceration, aged on fine lees in oak, no malo, not filtered or fined. Powerful, almost austere, with great texture, ripe fruit, lots of character.

100% Meunier · 6 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Base 2020 · Villers-Allerand Premier Cru, clay-limestone over chalk · Disgorged 01/2025

Les Courzy Premier Cru

100% Petit Meslier – a rarity. Massale selection, spontaneously fermented, oak barrel on fine lees, no malo, no filtration or fining. Vibrant acidity, green-spicy, herbal-citrusy, saline texture. Only 1,697 bottles.

100% Petit Meslier · 3 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Base 2019 · Les Couzy, Ecueil, clay-limestone over chalk · Disgorged 07/2023

Les Auges Premier Cru

100% Pinot Noir Premier Cru from Ecueil. Aged in oak without filtration or fining, no malo. Powerful, precise, clear Pinot character without opulence. Freshness, structure, tension.

100% Pinot Noir · 0 g/l Dosage (Extra Brut) · Base 2020 · Ecueil, limestone-rich clay soil over shallow chalk · Disgorged 02/2025

Les Jolivettes Grand Cru

100% Pinot Noir from Bouzy Grand Cru, sélection massale. Spontaneously fermented in oak, no malo, unfiltered and unfined. Clear, powerful, almost saline, uncompromisingly dense. Less fruit, more tension.

100% Pinot Noir · 0 g/l Dosage (Brut Nature) · Base 2020 · Bouzy Grand Cru, south-facing slope, limestone-rich clay soil · Disgorged 03/2024

My Tastings

• Platine (2020) · 2025-10-20
• Les Auges 2020 (2020) · 2025-09-10
• Mont Martin Rosé 2020 (2020) · 2025-08-29
• Montchenot 2019 (2019) · 2025-07-23
• Rosé (2021) · 2025-07-14
• Les Jolivettes 2020 (2020) · 2025-06-19
• Mont Martin 2019 (2019) · 2025-06-14
• Les Couzy 2019 (2019) · 2025-06-01
• Les Loges Premier Cru (2022) · 2025-05-25
• Platine Extra Brut (2020) · 2025-04-15

Facts

Official Name	Champagne Nicolas Maillart
Category	Récoltant-Manipulant (RM)
Founded	1703 (vignerons since 1703)
Management	Nicolas Maillart
Location	Ecueil, Montagne de Reims, Marne (51)
Cru Status	Premier Cru & Grand Cru
Vineyard Area	n/a
Production	n/a
Terroirs	Ecueil, Villers-Allerand, Bouzy
Soils	Clay-limestone over chalk subsoil
Vinification	Oak barrels (228l), on fine lees, spontaneously fermented
Malolactic	blocked
Dosage	0–6 g/l (Brut Nature to Extra Brut)
Website	champagne-maillart.fr
Instagram	@nicolasmaillart

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Sources for this portrait: estate website, personal tastings, CRM data, and cross-checks. Fields without sufficient verification remain open.