Champagne, France
Situated in Trigny, this producer has quietly developed a following in France, culminating in some top ratings in the Guide Hachette. Thierry Forest (after whom the local mountain is not named) is an unassuming but serious wine-grower who makes authentic, forceful champagnes that exemplify all we have come to love about the récoltants. Particularly notable is his preference for aging his wines much longer than is the norm before release. Almost half the grapes now come from the Premier Cru village of Éceuil, home of his wife Gracianne Marié. Otherwise, they have no fewer than 86 parcels distributed in four communes, three of which are Premier Crus. The average age of their vines is 40 years, they have practised the planting of grass between rows for 35 years, and all grapes are harvested by hand. Fermentation is conducted with natural yeasts. Son Louis is now also on board, and has already created a cuvée of his own. He is clearly a chip off the old block!