Leclerc Briant, located in the heart of Champagne in Épernay, embodies a house where tradition and innovation come together. Since its creation in 1872 by Lucien Leclerc until today, this estate has always paid special attention to viticultural and oenological research, continuously refining its vinification methods to enhance its terroir. This pursuit of excellence, while respecting nature, gave rise to a range of exceptional champagnes, perpetuating a lifestyle rooted in an outstanding terroir. Since the acquisition of the house by Mark Nunnelly and Denise Dupré in 2012, accompanied by Hervé Jestin and Frédéric Zeimett, the house Leclerc Briant has reinvented itself by combining historic expertise, biodynamic practices, and unprecedented technological experiments.
Today, the estate applies astonishing innovations such as aging in stainless steel tanks coated with gold, or titanium barrels, perfectly illustrating the avant-garde spirit and commitment to constant research at the intersection of technology and respect for the Champagne terroir. Flagship cuvées such as La Croisette and Abyss, the latter submerged in the sea, symbolize this ambition to push the boundaries of champagne’s birth and sensory experience. Following this house, one discovers a revolutionary approach to viticulture and vinification, where each step reflects a subtle dialogue between man, vine, and environment.
The historical journey of the house Leclerc Briant: a commitment to ecology and tradition
The house Leclerc Briant is first and foremost a family story that began in 1872 with Lucien Leclerc in Cumières, in the heart of Champagne. What distinguishes this house is its speed in adopting, as early as the 1950s, a purely organic approach. Bertrand Leclerc, heir and winegrower, was one of the first to commit to environmentally respectful agriculture, understanding early on the importance of a healthy terroir for wine quality. The estate was then recognized as one of the biological pioneers in Champagne.
This long ecological tradition took a decisive turn in 2012, when Mark Nunnelly and Denise Dupré, a passionate American couple, took over the house. They entrusted management to Hervé Jestin, a world expert in biodynamics and organic Champagne, as well as to Frédéric Zeimett, an industry connoisseur. They revived the dynamic by continuing and developing organic farming practices reinforced by biodynamics, engaged in an approach that goes far beyond simply the organic label: they aim for a viticultural ecosystem fully harmonized with nature.
To realize this ambition, they gradually rebuilt the vineyard by integrating selected plots on the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, two essential terroirs for the aromatic richness of champagne. Their commitment also expresses itself through the renovation of the house’s headquarters in Épernay and the modernization of the cellar, enabling the accommodation of scientific and technological innovations serving quality. Thus, while preserving the fundamentals of Champagne tradition, Leclerc Briant resolutely commits to a durable and respectful progress approach.
A fundamental aspect of this evolution lies in the complementarity between ancestral know-how and constant research for new solutions. The ongoing experiments perfectly illustrate this symbiosis: the house tirelessly explores materials and methods, going as far as creating unique containers such as the Goldorak barrel, named after the famous Japanese robot, whose interior is lined with gold to transmit its energy to the wine during aging.
Innovation and technology serving oenology: unique equipment worldwide
In the highly codified world of Champagne, Leclerc Briant stands out as one of the most innovative houses. The cellar, organized like a true research and development unit, houses an impressive collection of experimental containers. Among the most remarkable are undoubtedly Goldorak and Cronos, two barrels made from unprecedented materials in Champagne.
Goldorak is a 225-liter stainless steel barrel, but its particularity is that it is internally coated with a fine layer of gold. The symbolism of this precious metal goes beyond mere aesthetic gesture: gold is recognized for its ability to transmit powerful energy. This property is harnessed to promote a more subtle and vibrant refinement, an innovative technique that gives vinification a new sensory dimension. The La Croisette cuvée, which partially uses this barrel, wonderfully illustrates this innovation. It comes from a plot of the same name, which has become the setting for fine work combining terroir, science, and intuition.
The other major innovation is Cronos, a barrel made of titanium, a metal known for its robustness and lightness. This barrel imparts wines with a particular structure, giving rise to champagnes that are more full-bodied, powerful, with a controlled austerity, sometimes sought after by winemakers in search of a distinctive style. This substantial experiment pays homage to the Titan Cronos, mythical father of the gods, a clear metaphor for the titan role in the novelty and transformation of the house.
In this approach, Leclerc Briant also explores other containers like the Wine Globe, egg-shaped glass vessels combining the advantages of clay eggs and the neutrality of glass, to best refine each characteristic of the wine. This type of approach makes the house a true living laboratory, where the art of vinification is reinvented daily at the crossroads of technology and ancestral knowledge.
Terroir and respect for nature: a biodynamic and sustainable viticulture at the heart of Champagne
One of the key pillars of Leclerc Briant’s philosophy rests on a respectful and integrated approach to the terroir. The house, a pioneer in adopting organic farming, quickly oriented itself towards biodynamics, thus surpassing simple organic certification. This structural choice is deeply linked to the desire to preserve soil life, its biodiversity, and to transmit a natural balance in the vines and the wine.
In 2025, Leclerc Briant cultivates about 8 hectares in Premiers Crus, supplemented by purchases of grapes strictly certified organic or biodynamic. The soil’s vitality is constantly enriched by biodynamic composts, thus promoting the quality of the grapes while stimulating the vital microfauna and flora. Hedges planted around the plots activate this biodiversity, creating refuges for certain insects and birds, guarantors of a natural balance against pests.
The house also drastically reduces the use of phytosanitary treatments, preferring natural solutions that energize the vine according to nature’s rhythm. This ecological rigor has a direct impact on the wine’s characteristics, bringing intensity and tension that transcribe the specificity of the Champagne terroir. The result is noticeable in tasting: the wines gain purity, complexity, and minerality.
Respect for natural cycles is also illustrated by work in the vineyards without the use of heavy machinery, a practice that minimizes soil disturbances. The house Leclerc Briant has thus been able to combine tradition and modernity by fully engaging in current environmental challenges, under an ethic fully integrated into its methods. This approach resonates with numerous recent initiatives in Champagne, revealing a collective movement that combines terroir and research towards responsible viticulture.
Leclerc Briant’s iconic cuvées: a successful alliance between terroir, innovation, and quality
The house Leclerc Briant today offers a varied range reflecting its innovative and respectful positioning of the Champagne terroir. Among the flagship cuvées, La Croisette takes its name from the historic plot planted in the 1960s. This Blanc de Blancs champagne, aged according to several combined methods – partly in wood, partly in the Goldorak barrel, and finally in terracotta – offers a broad, powerful profile with remarkable finesse. This cuvée perfectly embodies the balance sought between tradition and contemporary experimentation.
Another example is the Abyss cuvée. Unique in its kind, this champagne is submerged for about a year at 60 meters depth off the coast of Ouessant. This maritime immersion subtly modifies its organoleptic characteristics, enhancing its intensity, freshness, and giving it a slight iodized touch, surprising for a hermetically sealed wine. This experiment, validated by blind tastings, is a perfect symbol of the house’s boldness and taste for going further in the understanding of wine.
Finally, the house also offers cuvées such as the Clos des 3 Clochers, a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs vinified exclusively in wood, which charms with its generous expression and controlled power. Not to mention the Blanc de Meunier Millésimé, 100% Pinot Meunier, distinguished by its richness and rare elegance, testifying to a rich and well-managed terroir.
All these offerings show that Leclerc Briant succeeds in producing 21st-century champagnes, where each bottle expresses expertise both technical and artistic. This mastery relies on rigorous grape selection and oenological know-how that translates the richness of Champagne terroirs while integrating sensitive innovations.
Leclerc Briant: a modern and committed house at the service of quality and discovery
Leclerc Briant’s journey illustrates a will to project towards the future while enhancing the treasures of the past. The house constantly innovates but remains above all faithful to the idea that the quality of champagne depends on a subtle balance between nature, terroir, and know-how. By fully integrating the environmental approach and its advanced technologies, it offers a modern and ambitious vision of Champagne.
The owning couple provides the necessary means for this dynamic, notably by reinvesting in the vineyard and modernizing the facilities. Research is permanent, a process not limited to the technical aspect but also involving broader reflection on the ecological and sensory impact of champagne. This ongoing openness allows Leclerc Briant to position itself as a model of innovation in the Champagne vineyard, but also as an influential player in promoting organic and biodynamic champagnes.
Contemporary challenges require adaptability and renewed creativity. In this context, Leclerc Briant develops its ranges in response to the expectations of a clientele sensitive both to tradition and new oenological experiences. In this sense, the house perfectly illustrates the spirit of renewal that animates Champagne, as recently discussed in the surprise decision in 2025 and the future of houses deploying an exceptional lifestyle as evoked in Habits de lumière 2025.
Experiments, such as the Abyss cuvée or the Goldorak equipment, continue to enrich the palette of wines, inviting enthusiasts to an original sensory discovery. The house also participates in this Champagne effervescence by collaborating with other innovative actors and sharing its know-how, thus contributing to a collective dynamic around research and excellence.
How does Leclerc Briant integrate biodynamics into its vineyard?
Leclerc Briant practices biodynamics by using biodynamic composts, limiting phytosanitary treatments, and promoting biodiversity with hedges and strict soil respect, for sustainable viticulture.
What innovative materials are used for Champagne maturation at Leclerc Briant?
The house uses stainless steel barrels lined with a layer of gold (Goldorak) and titanium barrels (Cronos), offering a new energetic dimension to the wine during aging.
What is the particularity of the Abyss cuvée?
Abyss is a cuvée submerged for about a year at 60 meters depth off Ouessant, developing unique intensity and iodized notes that have been acclaimed through blind tastings.
How does Leclerc Briant ensure the quality of its champagnes?
The house rigorously selects its grapes, uses biodynamic practices, continuously innovates vinification techniques, and offers meticulous aging, guaranteeing champagnes of great finesse and authenticity.
How does Leclerc Briant’s philosophy represent a modern vision of Champagne?
The house combines terroir respect, ecological practices, technological innovations, and ongoing research to create contemporary champagnes reflecting both tradition and oenological avant-garde.