Champagne Chrétien: Élodie Chrétien and her Blanc de Noirs

Élodie Chrétien, a winegrower in Champagne, signs her champagnes in her own name and holds her Blanc de Noirs to be the cuvée that represents her best. She grew up around the harvest before making it her trade, and carries on a family venture.

How would you describe Champagne Chrétien?

A family story carried on under her own name

At Champagne Chrétien, Élodie Chrétien starts from what came before her, transmission, well ahead of any talk of her cuvées.

“My estate is above all a story of family, of transmission and of attachment to our Champagne terroir.”

What she adds comes down to two words, her vision and her identity.

“Through my cuvées, I want to offer champagnes that look like me: authentic, elegant, generous and accessible.”

The thread is there: heritage and what she makes of it go together, and the bottle carries both.

When did you catch the wine bug?

Growing up to the harvest, then choosing it

For a winegrower's child, the question rarely has a date.

“I think I have always had it in me! When you grow up at the heart of a family of winegrowers, the seasons, the vines and the harvest are naturally part of everyday life.”

The shift came later, when habit turned into a decision and a bottle began to carry more than wine.

“I understood that behind every bottle there was a story: that of a soil, of patient work and of moments shared.”

Between childhood and that realisation there is no break, only the point where a backdrop becomes a trade.

What philosophy guides your work in the vineyard and in the cellar?

Accepting that no year is like the one before

Her answer fits in a single sentence, with time weighing as much as nature and the terroir.

“My philosophy is simple: respect nature, the terroir and time”

Then follows a position less common for a producer: the one that names what cannot be controlled.

“The vine teaches us patience and humility. We can accompany it, care for it and understand it, but we also have to accept that every year is different.”

The goal does not move: bring out the grapes, and remember champagne is drunk in company.

Which wine best represents your estate?

Blanc de Noirs, a white champagne made from black grapes

Her answer is the Blanc de Noirs, a white champagne pressed from black-skinned grapes, and she names the grape without placing her vines.

“The Blanc de Noirs represents my identity and that of my estate particularly well. Pinot Noir is the flagship grape variety of the Côte des Bar.”

She talks about character and generosity, then refuses to choose: her second bottle, from white grapes, counts at least as much.

“But my Blanc de Blancs also holds a very special place in my heart, with its freshness, its finesse and its elegance.”

Refusing to choose is not a pose: her two cuvées carry the same name and hold the same rank.

Which memory at the estate has marked you most?

The harvest, the whole team and the long days

The memory she keeps is not a cuvée but a moment in the year.

“The harvest is certainly my strongest memory.”

The detail she gives describes a harvest that is collective above all.

“There is that particular buzz, the whole team together, the intense rhythm of the days, the laughter, the tiredness too… and above all that satisfaction of seeing a whole year of work finally brought in. It's a bit like Christmas come early for me!”

It says more than a cellar visit: the waiting, the date nobody picks, the relief once all is in.

Why follow Champagne Chrétien?

A brand in her name, rooted in the family story

What keeps her going every morning is not the finished product but the variety of the days.

“What drives me is above all the variety of this job. No two days are really alike.”

The plan is stated plainly: grow, in France and beyond, without breaking with what precedes it.

“I want to build a strong brand, with a modern and elegant identity, while staying deeply attached to my roots and to the family history.”

There are easier things than putting your name on a label. Few are more binding.

Discover the cuvées of Champagne Chrétien direct from the estate, at the estate price, on Avenue des Vins.

Frequently asked questions about Champagne Chrétien

Which champagnes does Élodie Chrétien make?

Élodie Chrétien names two: a Blanc de Noirs, the closest to her identity, and a Blanc de Blancs kept for its freshness. Pinot Noir is her grape of choice.

“Pinot Noir, without hesitation, for its character and its generosity.”

What is a blanc de noirs champagne?

A white champagne made only from black-skinned grapes, Pinot Noir and sometimes Meunier, pressed gently so the juice stays clear. It is fuller and more vinous than Chardonnay.

What food goes with a blanc de noirs?

A dish with some bite, roast poultry, white meat, a warm starter or mature cheese, and Élodie Chrétien keeps it for a gastronomic meal. The Blanc de Blancs goes with the aperitif.

“A Blanc de Blancs will be perfect as an aperitif or with seafood, while a Blanc de Noirs will go wonderfully with a more gastronomic meal.”

What temperature should a blanc de noirs be served at?

Around 10 °C, a touch less cold than a classic brut, up to 12 °C for a mature cuvée, to keep the fruit, after four hours in the fridge. Never the freezer.

How long does a blanc de noirs keep?

Generous on release, it needs no waiting; kept lying down, cool and in the dark, it takes on spicier notes. Élodie Chrétien gives no ageing time for her cuvées.

Do you need a special occasion to open a champagne?

No, and the winegrower says so herself. Élodie Chrétien opens a bottle with friends or family, for the pleasure of being together, without waiting for a date.

“For me, champagne doesn't necessarily wait for a big occasion!”