Nathalie Falmet and Her Estate Champagne

 

As her logo shows, Nathalie Falmet is unusual in the Champagne world. She is a wine-grower (vigneronne) and a winemaker (oenologue). She is very much a one woman show.

Vineyards in the Cote des Bar

Nathalie's vineyards and winery are at the tiny village of Rouvres Les Vignes in the Cote des Bar, the Southernmost section of the Champagne region.  A few miles to the South of here begin the appellations of Burgundy. Of course, the grapes used here are the same as throughout Champagne; Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Heading South from Reims there are long stretches of flat terrain devoid of vines. But here, in the South, are occasional slopes, the doors to the world of great Champagne. There is an ancient tradition here of wine growing, and now an emerging tradition of winemaking. Nathalie sees her products through from vineyard to bottle.



Home of Champagne Nathalie Falmet

We arrived in Rouvres Les Vignes to find a sleeping village (work in this place is in the fields and not in the town). Seeing no actual signs, and little sign of life, I poked my head inside the open door of a private home. From the eagerly helpful residents (through gesticulation more than speech) we learned where to find Nathalie and her small modern winery. This new facility is indicative of Nathalie's recent transition from consulting oenologist, to grape grower/winemaker/entrepreneur.



Nathalie's Wine Cooler

Even before we entered, our curiosity was piqued by the informal array of bottles sitting in the chill late morning air. The ledge outside the window served admirably to chill the wines we were about to sample.  Informal, practical, efficient, and convivial as this "wine cooler" was, so was the entire operation and so was our visit.  Nathalie greeted us cheerfully, even though grapes were arriving at was almost literally a one woman operation.  A couple of times during our tasting Nathalie would rush off to tend an operation or answer an employee's question (there were employees).  We all would have been won over by her energetic warmth, but we would have been won over even tasting the wines under less endearing circumstances. 

We tasted the wines in an environment reminiscent of a family kitchen.  But what wines! In fact this visit was planned after an introduction Jean-Pierre Chambas made to us at Northampton Wines. An introduction to the wines, not the lady.  How much better now to have met her too! At present, there are four wines; all distinctive, all exquisite, and all representative of the region and town and vineyard from which the come.  They also reflect the spirit and intellect of a very daring young woman.  Click HERE to see Nathalie Falmet wines in-stock at Northampton Wines.  It is a miracle (by way of "Saint" Jean-Pierre) that these wines are all available in our store.

PLEASE visit Nathalie's website to learn more.

 



It is more than a little unjust to include the restaurant La Grange du Relais, in the village of Colombey les Deux Eglises, as a simple addendum.  They greeted us happily and served us lavishly even though we were 15 people arriving an hour late for a late lunch. A very happy place this!  The village is famous for its monument and museum of Charles de Gaulle who retired to this place, presumably to rest and drink Champagne (he is said to have been a fan of the nearby Champagne House of Drappier).  We will remember the village for its very hospitable and comfortable restaurant, La Grange du Relais.  The place had rooms and if we had not had an excellent driver, we should have remained there for the night.  Instead we mostly slept our way to Beaune.