Chartogne-Taillet: Sheep in the Vineyards

Two black sheep eat weeds between vines. Chickens control pests. Horses plow the soil. No herbicides. No pesticides. Alexandre Chartogne took over in 2006 and went biodynamic before it was trendy. Peter Liem named it one of the top 10 grower houses. Hip wine bars fight for allocation.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 See the Animals at Work Adventure · Price: moderate

   Two black sheep roam the vineyards around Merfy village in winter eating weeds, while chickens control pests and horses plow 50% of the vineyards — less soil compaction than tractors. This is biodynamic champagne in action. Email visit requests via chartogne-taillet.com well in advance and ask: "Can we see the animals in the vineyards?" Best timing is winter/early spring for sheep spotting.

   Backup: Even without animals present, vineyards show grass growth and biodiversity absent from conventional farms.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Explore Merfy's Forgotten Terroir History · Free

   Peter Liem (champagne expert) says a visit to Chartogne-Taillet in the Massif de Saint-Thierry (15 min north of Reims) offers "a deep dive into the largely overlooked history and geological diversity of Merfy." This is NOT tourist champagne country — it's where serious students go to understand forgotten terroir. Ask Alexandre about Merfy's geology — chalk, clay, sand layers — and "Why was this area overlooked for so long?" The answer reveals champagne's prestige politics.

   Backup: Even driving through Merfy shows how different this landscape is from Reims or Épernay.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Taste Single-Vineyard Expressions Wine · Price: moderate

   Alexandre produces tiny-production single-vineyard cuvées from just 11 hectares, each showing a different parcel's personality with staggering diversity. In the cellar tasting room, request: "Can we compare two single-vineyard wines?" Taste with eyes closed first, note the differences, then ask: "How do you decide which parcels deserve their own bottling?" The answer reveals a grower's most intimate vineyard secrets.

   Backup: Even the blended wines show extraordinary terroir expression.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Email WELL in advance - Alexandre is busy and visits are by appointment only

• Family has been here since 1870 - 4 generations of vines, biodynamic since 2006

• Peter Liem ranks it top 10 grower champagnes - serious credibility

• 15 min from Reims, easy to combine with Part I (big houses) or Part II (Grand Cru)

• Horse plowing reduces soil compaction - ask about the difference in root depth

• Allocation-only in most markets - buy what you can here