Justin Maillard

Justin Maillard is a French winemaker who passionately manages his small Champagne estate with dedication, aiming to express the maximum potential of Aube Champagnes. The winery is located in Bar-sur-Seine, a village situated in the Côte des Bar region, where in 2016 Justin embarked on his own adventure by taking over the family vineyards from his mother. Prior to this, this young Récoltant Manipulant had also delved into the world of sommellerie, showcasing his boundless passion for wine and his comprehensive knowledge of this magical universe. The cornerstone of the vigneron's production philosophy is to respect environmental health and intervene as little as possible in the cellar, thereby offering Champagnes free from artifice and sophistications, authentic reflections of their terroir of origin.

The estate cultivated by Justin Maillard comprises just 2.24 hectares of rows, dedicated to the noble Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varieties, planted on limestone soils of Kimmeridgian formation, rich in marine fossils. The use of synthetic chemical products is banned in the vineyard, while fermentations in the cellar occur entirely spontaneously thanks to the sole intervention of indigenous yeasts and lactic bacteria, primarily in stainless steel and concrete tanks, aiming to preserve all the freshness of the wine. The subsequent sparkling process takes place in the bottle according to the Champagne Method, as per regulations, accompanied by long aging on the lees. Throughout the entire process, invasive operations such as clarifications, enzyme additions, and cold treatments are excluded, while the doses of added sulfites are minimal. Finally, the Champagnes are either not dosed or dosed very lightly, always with the aim of not interfering with the wine's purest character.

From these genuine principles emerges the small production of Justin Maillard's cellar, a production that, depending on the vintage, ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 bottles. These are high-quality Champagnes with a precise and clean style, never mundane, capable of delighting the senses of both novices and the most discerning palates.