Champagne Sézannais: Seven Winemakers For A Sunny, Full-bodied Champagne With A Sharp Citrus Edge.
What if your next sparkling crush came neither from Reims nor Épernay, but from a vineyard that has remained (almost) off the radar? The Sézannais raises its chalk and its fruity accent.
A Hidden Champagne South of the Marne
Looking for a change of scenery, even in your glass? Head to the Sézannais, a string of south-facing hills that quietly stretch under the media radar. Here, about forty kilometers from Épernay, the Cretaceous chalk comes to the surface just like on the legendary Côte des Blancs, but it blends with silty loams and siliceous clays. The result: a champagne that is sunny, full-bodied, with a sharp citrus edge. For a long time, these exclusive bubbles remained confined to family cellars.
Sezanne in Numbers (which speak louder than words)
- 1,500 hectares of vineyards, barely 6% of the Champagne appellation area.
- Only 12 municipalities, nestled around Sézanne, a "small city of character."
- 299 million bottles of champagne shipped worldwide in 2022 (source: Comité Champagne)... of which only a tiny fraction under the Sézannais label.
- Nearly 18,000 winegrowers throughout Champagne, but less than a hundred really known for this southern sector of the Marne.
Suffice it to say that here, every bottle counts, and each winemaker weighs heavily in the identity of the territory.
Whispered Secret: A Secret Finally Whispered
Look no further, the name says it all: Secraie is a contraction of "Sézannais" and "craie" (the mineral skeleton of the hillsides) to better evoke the secret that has been buried for too long. Founded in 2014, this collective brings together seven grower-producers who vinify their own harvest from A to Z. No cooperative, no luxurious house behind them: just families, calloused hands, and a homegrown charter mandating at least four cuvées from the local hillsides, complete transparency, and, of course, the advocacy of sustainable viticulture.
Seven realms, seven temperaments
Express Round Table:
- Champagne Delong Marlène – Allemant, 5.3 ha, organic since 2020, pioneer in grass cover.
- Champagne Benoît Cocteaux – Montgenost, stoneware jars and oak casks, HVE certified since 2016.
- Champagne Bertrand Doyard – Vindey, 4.3 ha, low-intervention winemaking, farming lineage since the 16th century.
- Champagne Alain Depoivre – Vindey, 3.35 ha, dual certification HVE and VDC, winery open to wine tourism.
- Champagne Cédric Guyot – Fontaine-Denis, 5.6 ha, fruity-finesse under the VDC label.
- Champagne Virgile Lahaye – Fontaine-Denis, 3.13 ha, mixed farming and livestock, time as an ally.
- Champagne Yves Jacopé – Broyes, 5.98 ha, the 4th generation launches the "Sire de St Blier" range.
Seven styles, one signature: letting the chalk speak before the marketing.
Sustainability: Less Stardust, More Evidence
In an industry that now boasts 80% certified sustainable areas, the Sézannais is taking it a step further: elimination of insecticides on 100% of the seven domains, systematic grassing, rainwater harvesting, and even polyculture at Virgile Lahaye to preserve the soil. This is sure to appeal to customers looking for consistency – and a reminder that a "green" champagne can still be ultra-delicious.
In the glass: sun, chalk, and citrus zest.
What to expect? Generous Chardonnays with hints of pink grapefruit, silky Pinot Noirs with a touch of white pepper, and those saline finishes once attributed only to more famous vintages. Some winemakers will even offer tastings of clear wines (before the second fermentation) – a unique opportunity to capture the texture without the bubbles. A little advice: move from the freshest cuvée of Marlène Delong to the barrel-aged offerings of Benoît Cocteaux, the contrast is striking.
A (still) secret asset for the holiday season.
Every December, the same conundrum arises: finding a sparkling wine that surprises without breaking the bank. However, the average cellar door price of Sézannais champagnes oscillates between 22 € and 45 €, which is 15 to 30% cheaper than some neighboring vintages, often providing more immediate enjoyment. Add to that the charming story of the rediscovered terroir: your guests will ask for no more to raise their glasses.
Nota Bene: knowing how to decode "RM" on a label.
On Secraie bottles, you will find the label RM – Grower-Producer. Specifically: estate-grown grapes + in-house vinification. It's the opposite of an "NM" (Merchant-Producer) who may blend purchased grapes. A detail that changes everything, especially when looking to experience the distinct taste of a micro-terroir.
