Feature article

Champagne Bourgeois-Diaz – living land, quiet precision

Champagne Bourgeois-Diaz – living soil, quiet precision

Crouttes-sur-Marne is a small village in the western Vallée de la Marne, about an hour from Reims. It is here, in a less talked-about part of Champagne with a deeply vibrant soul, that Jérôme Bourgeois-Diaz – a winemaker whose work unites land, people and time in an exceptionally precise balance.

 

From family tradition to biodynamic pioneer

A family history of four generations in grape growing took a new direction when Jérôme Bourgeois decided in the early 2000s to break with chemical agriculture and begin an organic journey. Today the entire 7-hectare vineyard certified both organic and biodynamic (Demeter). The vines are worked by hand and by horse, avoiding the soil compaction caused by tractors.

Bourgeois-Diaz is not a producer in search of glamour or luxury – he seeks vitality. His wines are a tribute to land that breathes. The grapes – predominantly Pinot Meunier together with a smaller quantity of Pinot Noir and with Chardonnay – grow on a mixed clay and limestone soil that gives the Champagnes both ripeness and mineral tension.

All the wines are fermented with wild yeasts, malolactic fermentation takes place naturally and the wines are bottled Brut Nature style – without added sugar or manipulation. The result is Champagnes that are at once clear and alive, precise and free.

 


The Bourgeois-Diaz style

The house's Champagnes are always uncompromising. They are made for those seeking not merely a sparkling wine, but a true expression of terroir.
All the cuvées are pure, naturally powerful and with exceptionally low sulphite levels – often below 25 mg/l. The dosage is always 0 g/l (Brut Nature), highlighting the character of each site. The wines age on their lees in bottle for 2–5 years, depending on the cuvée, achieving a complexity and texture usually found only in small, artisanal houses.

BD’3C – Trois Cépages Brut Nature

Pinot Meunier – Pinot Noir – Chardonnay
This is Bourgeois-Diaz's signature wine – a blend of the three classic varieties that expresses the full terroir of Crouttes-sur-Marne. Fermentation takes place half in oak and half in stainless steel tanks, using wild yeasts. The result is a wine that is fruity and soft, yet dry and precise: pear, green apple, lemon zest and a lightly saline finish. A balance that makes it a superb aperitif, but also a companion to oysters, white fish and goat’s cheese.

Bottles produced: ~20 900 | SO₂: 26 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

BD’N – Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature

60% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir
BD’N is an expression of black grapes – powerful, vinous and precise. Fermented partly in oak barrels and partly in ceramic amphorae, which add textural depth and mineral tension. On the nose, red apple, wild strawberry and a light smoky tone. Structured and dry on the palate, with a long finish and a chalky, saline note. The perfect companion duck breast, truffle risotto or roasted vegetables alongside.

Bottles produced: ~2 650 | SO₂: 24 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

BD’M – 100% Meunier Brut Nature

Bourgeois-Diaz’s tribute to the most important variety of the Vallée de la Marne – Meunier. The grapes come from old vineyards grown on clay and alluvial soils. 70% of the wine is fermented in cement vessels and 30% in small oak barrels. BD’M is at once juicy and precise: yellow apple, peach, brioche and a saline finish. This is a Meunier with real character – precise and gastronomic.

Bottles produced: ~5 600 | SO₂: 17 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

BD’RS – Rosé de Saignée Brut Nature

Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir
Rosé de Saignée is a serious rosé – not blended, but obtained through 20 hours of maceration. The grapes come from two very old Meunier vineyards (1925 and 1960) and a small parcel of Pinot Noir Les Bien Aimées. The entire wine is vinified in oak while retaining a radiant freshness. Wild strawberry and redcurrant on the nose; dry and full-bodied on the palate, with a slight peppery nuance. Pairs superbly tuna, roast salmon or spicy Asian dishes.

Bottles produced: 990 | SO₂: 13 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

Les Bien Aimées – Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Brut Nature

This is a low-yield single-vineyard cuvée from Pinot Noir vines planted in 1963. Fermented and aged entirely in oak, the wine has a golden-yellow hue, pastry and brioche aromas and a powerful texture. Powerful on the palate, balanced between strength and fruit – a superb example of how Pinot Noir expresses the limestone depth of Crouttes-sur-Marne.

Bottles produced: 1 574 | SO₂: 30 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

Les Justices – Single Vineyard Pinot Meunier Brut Nature

A single-vineyard wine from 100% Pinot Meunier, fermented in two 350-litre sandstone amphorae. The nose recalls the gentle oxidation of Jura wines: nuts, ripe apples, saline minerality. On the palate it is elegant, textured and taut – rich and fresh at the same time. This is Meunier in a new, unexpected key – restrained, yet powerful.

Bottles produced: 986 | SO₂: <10 mg/l | Dosage: 0 g/l.

Beyond style – a philosophy grounded in precision and respect for the land

Jérôme Bourgeois does not seek fame or follow market trends. His goal is clarity – to let the vineyard and the vintage speak for themselves.
Each cuvée is made in small quantities, often just a few thousand bottles, and without compromise: no dosage, no filtration and minimal sulphites.

The result is a Champagne that expresses its origins honestly and precisely. The wines are full of personality without being heavy – they have clear fruit, fine structure and a lively mineral tension that comes from healthy, vibrant soil.

Bourgeois-Diaz belongs to the new generation of growers who are redefining what Champagne means – proving that meticulous viticulture and restrained intervention in the cellar can create wines that are deep, precise and long-lived.

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