From the atlas
Champagne Michel Fagot
An independent winegrower in Rilly-la-Montagne, Champagne Michel Fagot works biodynamically across vineyards in the Montagne de Reims and Saint Thierry Massif.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Champagne, Montagne de Reims |
| Village | Rilly-la-Montagne, Premier Cru |
| Main grapes | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier |
| Signature wine | Brut Tradition, also presented as La Grande Tradition |
| Defining feature | Independent winegrowing across four crus |
The Producer
Champagne Michel Fagot is an independent winegrower based in Rilly-la-Montagne. Olivier Fagot embodies the fourth generation, with advice from biodynamic consultant Jacques Mell. The house combines biodynamic vineyard cultivation with cellar methods that include oak, stainless steel, lees ageing and solera.
Since 2018, oenologist Audrey has combined ancestral methods with modern techniques. The cellar uses methods from barrel to stainless steel, from yeast sediment to a solera system.
Place
Rilly-la-Montagne is a Premier Cru village in the Montagne de Reims. The estate's vineyards in Rilly-la-Montagne and Villers-Allerand lie within that sub-region, while further holdings in Hermonville and Trigny sit in the Saint Thierry Massif.
The range therefore draws on two Champagne areas with separate village addresses. Brut Tradition carries the Montagne de Reims as its origin, while the wider vineyard holdings bring Saint Thierry Massif into the estate's work.
Story
Michel Fagot spent his career as Vineyard Director at Champagne Mercier before taking over the family business. He created his eponymous brand and led the family heritage until 2012. His son Olivier now embodies the fourth generation, carrying the family name into a cellar that combines ancestral methods with modern techniques.
Vineyards And Cellar
The estate's vineyard page lists 15 hectares and 38 plots, 20 of them Premier Cru. The producer uses neither herbicides nor insecticides and cultivates its vines using biodynamic principles.
Audrey has worked as the estate's oenologist since 2018. Depending on the wine, maturation takes place in oak barrels, stainless steel vats, on lees or in a solera. Lees ageing keeps the wine with its yeast sediment, a method that can add creaminess and texture. A solera combines wines from different stages of ageing, building continuity through successive additions.
Wines
Brut Tradition, also named La Grande Tradition, is the house's emblematic non-vintage blend. The separate vintage tier includes Michel Fagot Brut Millésime. Non-vintage brut wines are cellared for three years, while vintage wines receive at least eight years, separating the shorter held non-vintage release from the longer aged vintage wines.
In The Glass
La Grande Tradition opens with candied red and black fruit, spices, ripe wheat, stone fruit and crème brûlée. The palate is creamy, round and ample, with freshness and a distinctly acidic finish.
Tradition Brut is medium-bodied and unoaked. Its texture comes without barrel seasoning, while the acidity keeps the finish firm and fresh.
A Bottle To Understand It
Brut Tradition is the bottle to open first. It combines Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier from the Montagne de Reims, carries an extra brut dosage of 4 g/l, and brings the house's three listed varieties into one cuvée. At that dosage, the wine stays dry and the blend remains clear.
Anecdote
In 1900, Jules Jean-Baptiste Fagot became an independent winemaker. The family history also names Gaston Rousseau, who battled phylloxera and grafted the first American rootstocks. Jules's move established an independent winegrowing line, while Gaston's work placed grafting at the centre of the vineyard response to disease. The family business later passed through Michel Fagot, who took it over after his career as Vineyard Director at Champagne Mercier, and through Michel's son Olivier, who embodies the fourth generation.
Final Word
Champagne Michel Fagot combines family winegrowing, biodynamic cultivation and cellar methods that range from stainless steel to solera, with vineyards in both the Montagne de Reims and Saint Thierry Massif.
Sources
- https://www.fagot.fr/histoire/?lang=en
- https://www.fagot.fr/vignoble/?lang=en
- https://www.fagot.fr/savoir-faire/?lang=en
- https://www.champagne.fr/en/visit-champagne/directory-champagne-producers/domaine-michel-fagot
- https://www.fagot.fr/champagne/brut-tradition/?lang=en
- https://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews/france/champagne/michel-fagot-tradition-brut-champagne-france-44249
- https://www.marketplace.businessfrance.fr/la-grande-tradition.html