Tirage-led Grand Cru
Juliette Alips leads Domaine Les Monts Fournois with her cousins Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche. Their focus is a south-facing Premier Cru vineyard in Ludes, on the northern Montagne de Reims. The first Champagne from that site is the 2022 vintage, which Alips plans to release in 2027 after five years on lees.
Alips’s work in the cellar
Alips describes a restrained approach to the estate wine: indigenous yeasts, fermentation in large barrels and a second fermentation under cork. She expects the first Champagne to blend 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. These are plans and production details for the estate Champagne, rather than claims about the sourced bottles already on the market.
What the label offers now
The domaine has also made still Coteaux Champenois from the Ludes vineyard. Separately, its website presents a small selection of vintage Grand Cru Champagnes sourced through the Bérêche family’s grower network. The distinction matters: the sourced Champagnes show the project’s current work, while the 2022 estate Champagne will show how Alips interprets Les Monts Fournois itself.
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Questions
Frequently asked
Who leads Domaine Les Monts Fournois?
Winemaker Juliette Alips leads the Ludes project with her cousins Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche.
When is its first estate Champagne expected?
Alips plans to release the 2022 vintage in 2027 after five years of ageing on lees.
What has the domaine released before then?
The domaine offers small quantities of sourced vintage Grand Cru Champagnes and has made still Coteaux Champenois from its Ludes vineyard.
The field
How it compares
| Place | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Bérêche et Fils | Ludes | · |
| Champagne Canard-Duchêne | Ludes | · |
| Champagne Monmarthe | Ludes | · |
| Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart | Ludes | · |
| Chateau Petrus | Pomerol | · |
| Domaine Faiveley | Nuits-Saint-Georges | World's 50 Best |
In residence
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