Lacourte-Godbillon

HISTORY

• The domaine was founded in 1947 by the great-grandparents of current owner/winemaker Géraldine Lacourte
  • Previous generations sold their grapes to the big houses
• The estate continued to primarily sell grapes to the local co-op in Eceuil until 2012 when Géraldine and her husband Richard Desvignes took over the estate
• Since 2013 they have been bottling 100% of their production
• After years of focusing on exceptional farming, sustainability, biodiversity, and agroforestry, they received organic certification in 2020 and biodynamic certification in 2022

FARMING PRACTICES

• Certified biodynamic by Demeter
• Low till farming
• Use of cover crop to reduce soil erosion and promote healthy microbiome’
• Trees planted in vineyards to promote biodiversity and reduce yields
• Sheep used for weed and pest control
• Very low yields, with a maximum of 8 bunches per vine (half the legal max)

KEY VINEYARD POINTS

• 95% of their vines are in the village Écueil
• Écueil 1er Cru is a sleepy village in the Petite Montagne, known for its delicate Pinot Noir grown on sandy soils
• Primarily east facing slopes in the shape of an amphitheater
• Average of vines is over 40 years old, and planted with massal selection

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY

• Vinification is done in a mix of barrel and stainless steel
• All single site wines are vinified in barrel and aged under cork
• All the wines go through malo
• Only ambient yeast fermentation
• Very low additions of SO2
• Minimal dosage across the lineup
• Geraldine Lacourte and Richard Desvignes are some of the most conscientious farmers in Champagne. Through their low yielding, garden-like, biodynamic vineyards they craft Pinot Noir based wines full of character, complexity, incisive minerality, and saline-infused fruit