For almost five hundred years, the Philipponnat family has left its mark on the soil of the Champagne region. Generations of men and women have cultivated the land at Ay, the family's home since the time of Apvril le Philipponnat who owned vines at Le Léon, between Ay and Dizy, in 1522. In the 16th century the family’s ancestors were winegrowers and merchants, suppliers to the court of Louis XIV, magistrates and Royal Mayors of Ay - a town which was directly dependent on the Crown since the era of the Counts of Champagne.
Philipponnat crafts its wines using exclusively first press juice from the finest grapes, mainly from Premier and Grand Cru plots, and is committed to harvesting grapes when they reach greater maturity than the average in the Champagne wine-growing region. A portion of the wine is fermented or matured in casks, which is exceptional for Champagne; aging in wood gives them greater complexity without in any way coarsening them.
With a distinctive style that does not yield to trends, the House produces a range of Champagnes which are, first and foremost, wines: flavourful, powerful and well-balanced. Their aromatic intensity provides a common profile and their freshness and minerality give them structure. This perfect balance between intensity and freshness is achieved with a low dosage.