Jean-Paul Hébrart took over the operations of Marc Hébrart Champagne in the Vallée de la Marne from his father Marc in 1997. This estate is not exactly new: Jean-Paul’s father has been producing champagne under the Marc Hébrart name since 1964 and has been a member of the Special Club since 1985. Hébrart farms 14 hectares of vines on 65 different sites in 6 villages: the 1er cru vineyards of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Avenay, Val d’Or and Bisseuil and the grand crus villages of Aÿ as well as Chouilly and Oiry in the Côte des Blancs. Each parcel is always vinified separately in glass lined stainless steel and ceramic tanks. He is slowly phasing out the ceramic as it is more difficult to control the temperature. Hébrart is also experimenting barrel fermentation and indigenous yeast fermentation for some of his older vine parcels.

Using these new techniques Jean-Paul has made an alternative Téte de Cuvee (2004 vintage dated) called Rive Gauche-Rive Droite, named for the sites on both sides of the Marne that comprise of the blend. These old vine parcels are fermented and aged in 205 liter four year old barrique (without battonage) before being bottled sur latté. Jean-Paul hand selects grapes, uses a Bucher press, and is experimenting with fermentation in petite cuvee. Hébrart doesn’t block malolactic fermentation and does all remuage by hand.

Peter Liem writes of Champagne Hébrart on Champgneguide.net: “Hébrart’s wines have a broad appeal: if you like to think about your wines, they’re intellectually engaging enough to satisfy you; on the other hand, if you’re just looking to drink, they’re simply delicious. The wines are full and generous without being weighty, complex and soil-driven without being demanding. Overall, the entire range is of consistently high quality, and represents excellent value for the money.”

Blend – 44% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay, 6% Mareuil Rouge vinified 1 year in barrel

Vintages – 50% 2020, 50% 2019

Villages – Old vines (40+ years old) from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ 1er Cru

Malolatic fermentation – Yes

élevage – Stainless steel

Aging 48 months

Dosage 6.5g RS/l

Showcases its exuberant fruit within a sleek, racy structure, feeling succulently ripe yet imparting an elegant impression, thanks to its silky texture and graceful overall balance.

Wine Spectator – 92 points

Vinous – 92 points

Robert Parker Wine Advocate – 91 points

Disgorged in May 2020, the latest release of Hébrart’s NV Extra-Brut Premier Cru Rosé offers up notes of red apple, pear, fresh pastry and Meyer lemon. Medium to full-bodied, bright and pillowy, with racy acids and a pinpoint mousse, it’s crisp and precise, with a charming core of fruit. This is another cuvée where the transition from brut to extra-brut really allows the quality of the fruit to shine.

Led by Jean-Paul Hébrart since 1997, the 15-hectare domaine (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) cultivaties 75 parcels in five grand cru villages (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where eight hectares are cultivated, Aÿ, Avize, Oiry and Chouilly) and several premier crus. Whenever possible, Hébrart works organically and tries to avoid synthetic treatments. Each block is vinified separately, with malolactic fermentation being obligatory blocked for all but two wines: the Coteaux Champenois and the Rive Gauche – Rive Droite, a “Burgundian” champagne composed of Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize and Pinot Noir from Aÿ. The domaine delivers excellent qualities, particularly with the Brut Sélection, at highly attractive prices. Of the 130,000 bottles produced, 80% of the volume is exported, 28% of which makes it into the US.

The softly spoken and unassuming Marc Hébrart purchased his first vines at the age of 17 and took over the reins at his father’s small Mareuil-sur-Aÿ domaine in 1998. Members of the Special Club since 1985, the Hébrart family have long been serious growers, but Marc has taken the estate to new heights. He works the soils and employs synthetic products only at flowering to protect the crop. “I need to have a good crop so I have enough grapes to make choices in the cellar,” he explains. He uses only organic fertilizers and debuds to limit yields. And he’s trying to build up his stocks so he can offer older vintages for sale, thinking that their reserves constitute one of the important advantages of the grandes marques. The Hébrart style is supremely—even deceptively—charming, emphasizing pretty fruit tones and structured around succulent acids. Yet the wines reward contemplation, too, and age very well indeed. All the releases here come warmly recommended.

Decanter – 90 points

Equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourced from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, this encases its exuberant fruit within a sleek, racy structure, feeling succulently ripe yet imparting an elegant impression, thanks to its silky texture and graceful overall balance.