Champagne Pascal Agrapart farms organically, works Vénus by horse and hand, and makes Grand Cru Brut Nature and Extra Brut cuvées.
The producer
Ambroise Agrapart now leads the fifth generation of the family business. Organic viticulture without official certification, ploughing and locally made compost sit alongside natural fermentation, separate parcel work and extended ageing on lees. One parcel, Vénus, is worked exclusively by horse and by hand. The range includes Brut Nature and Extra Brut cuvées, with Grand Cru and Blanc de Blancs labels across several bottles.
Known for
Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
Notable facts
Ambroise Agrapart joined the family business in 2018.
Many Agrapart vines are more than 60 years old.
Annual production stays below 5,400 cases.
The estate farms organically without official certification.
Vénus is worked exclusively by horse and by hand.
Fermentation uses wild yeasts and parcels are often kept separate.
The story
The Horse Named Vénus
Pascal Agrapart works one vineyard parcel with his horse, Vénus, and the parcel carries the horse's name. The ground is worked exclusively by horse and by hand, without mechanical machinery. Agrapart's farming philosophy centres on working the soils so roots go deep, and this parcel places that practice in the open. The name Vénus belongs to both the animal and the vineyard. The range includes Pascal Agrapart Vénus Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru.
From the atlas
Champagne Pascal Agrapart
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Champagne
Core style
Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs and Extra Brut or Brut Nature cuvées
Signature cuvée
Expérience 19 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
Defining practice
Organic viticulture, with Vénus worked by horse and by hand
The Producer
Ambroise Agrapart now leads the fifth generation of the family business, following his father Pascal's four decades of leadership. Production stays below 5,400 cases a year, and many vines are more than 60 years old.
The estate farms organically without official certification. Ploughing and compost made from local ingredients form part of the vineyard work. Pascal Agrapart works the soils so the roots go deep. In the cellar, fermentation with wild yeasts, separate parcel work and extended ageing on lees keep the wines close to their vineyard origins.
Place
Champagne is the region behind these cuvées, and the labels use Grand Cru and Blanc de Blancs to name both place level and wine style. Grand Cru is Champagne's highest village classification. Blanc de Blancs means a white sparkling wine made from white grapes.
Expérience 19, Avizoise, Minéral and Vénus are listed as Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru wines. Complantée is listed as Extra Brut Grand Cru, while Terroirs is listed as Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs.
Wines
The range moves between Brut Nature and Extra Brut cuvées. Expérience 19 and Vénus are Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru wines. Avizoise and Minéral are Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru wines. Complantée is Extra Brut Grand Cru, and Terroirs is Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs. Brut Nature indicates zero dosage, while Extra Brut is a dry category with some dosage permitted.
Expérience 19 shows deeply mineral chalk, tangy green apple and greengage plum mixed with sea air. The Vénus cuvée comes from the horse worked parcel of the same name, while Avizoise and Minéral occupy the Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs part of the range.
Final Word
Vénus is a parcel worked by horse and by hand. Across the range, the labels name Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Nature and Extra Brut styles.