Boulard Francis

Francis Boulard et Fille is a small family business located in Faverolles-et-Coëmy, in the Vallée de la Marne area. The Maison was created recently, but has the experience of no less than six generations of vignerons behind it. It was founded in 2009, when Raymond Boulard's sons decided to go their separate ways and dissolve their father's domaine. Francis Boulard started working in the vineyard when he was only 14 years old, following the teachings of his grandfather Julien and accompanying him to plough the land with a horse. When he was still working in the family Maison, Francis Boulard had started to cultivate part of the vineyards organically, and when the property was divided up, he kept this land with the intention of starting to produce Champagne as naturally as possible.

Today, the domaine has a total surface area of 3 hectares with Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines that are around 35 years old and are divided into many parcels, located in the areas of Cormicy in the Massif de Saint-Thierry, also known as the Petite Montagne de Reims, in Hameau de Belval in the Vallée de la Marne, in Cuchery, Cauroy-lès-Hermonville and in the famous Grand Cru of Mailly in the Montagne de Reims. Since 2001, many vineyards have been managed according to organic principles, without the use of herbicides or chemical treatments. Today, the domaine is Ecocert-certified and cultivation is also carried out following biodynamic practices, with full respect for the environment and the general ecosystem, in order to produce healthy, genuine grapes.

Work in the vineyard follows the lunar calendar, with short pruning to obtain few bunches per plant, but of excellent quality. The soils are lightly tilled in autumn and spring and then naturally grassed over to encourage biodiversity between the rows and prevent soil erosion. Harvesting takes place when the grapes are fully ripe and vinification is carried out by individual parcel in order to enhance the characteristics of each terroir and to have a wide choice when creating the cuvées. The grapes are gently pressed and fermentations are started spontaneously using only yeasts in 20 hectolitre barrels, in 500 and 600 litre demi-muids and in used barriques. The base wines undergo malolactic fermentation and are matured on the lees with bâtonnage, before refermentation in the bottle.