Alliance Riceys - Wine Growers from Champagne

The rise of artisanal producers in Champagne has transformed the perception of the region and restored its vinous soul. Cult grower Champagnes are fêted and yearned after. But there is an accessible side to Grower Champagne, exemplified by the Alliance Riceys. This small collective of wine growers has come together to promote their diverse, individualistic family wines from Les Riceys.

Les Riceys is a region off the intensely beaten Champagne track. It is closer to Chablis than Reims. Scooped up in the large region of the Aube, Les Riceys is strangely overlooked today, for this is a relatively large commune with a long and glamorous history. The town is one of the prettiest in Champagne, famous in France for the gorgeous architecture that reflects its affluence and fame as a favourite of Louis XIV.  Les Riceys became a fashionable country retreat and source of sought-after Pinot Noir Rosé in the Sun King's reign.  Acclaimed wine tourism pioneer Tim Clarke describes Les Riceys Bas as "the most beautiful town in Champagne" for its exquisite buildings and rolling countryside.

Today, Les Riceys is little known outside of France but like the Côte de Bar, this is a part of Champagne with the space (in every sense) for creative vignerons to do great things, differently.

Pinot Noir remains a speciality here. (And the delicious but rarely exported Rosé de Riceys also shows why.) Chardonnay also thrives on the Kimmeridgian marls and limestones, and is increasing its share of the vineyard. The terroir is nuanced, thanks to the diverse topography, multiple exposures, and fragmented vineyard ownership.

The Alliance Riceys is a forward-thinking group of five Wine Growers from Les Riceys. They have come together to show their wines to the UK for the first time, and to find new partners to import their characterful, terroir-driven Champagne.

Please get in touch if you would like to receive more information about these producers who are all seeking representation in the UK. 

The Alliance Riceys comprises Champagne Batisse-Lancelot, Champagne Pascal Manchin, Champagne Pehu Guiardel,  Champagne Arnaud Tabourin and Champagne Phlipaux Père et Fils.