Alexis Leconte

To start: can you introduce yourself and explain how the Champagne Alexis Leconte project in Troissy came about?
We have been winegrowers in Troissy for six generations. For a long time, we sold our grapes, until my father was the first to take the step of installing his own press and vinifying our own wines. That was a significant turning point for the estate. In 2018, I decided to convert the entire estate to biodynamics. From that moment on, I also consciously started working under my own name. That felt like the beginning of a new chapter, where I could connect our family history with a personal vision.

Today, you are continuing a family estate with a long history. What does that heritage mean to you, and how have you instilled your own vision into it?
I primarily see that heritage as an enormous opportunity. Each generation has built up the estate step by step and adapted it to its time. So I'm not starting from scratch, but from a strong foundation. My own vision revolves around a return to nature, extensive observation, and seeking balance. This applies to both the work in the vineyard and the style of the wines themselves.

Your vineyards are mainly located in the Vallée de la Marne. What characterizes this terroir, and why is it so strongly associated with Meunier?
The Vallée de la Marne is often reduced to Meunier, but that actually underestimates it. The influence of the river creates a favorable microclimate, and the topography helps achieve beautiful ripeness.

What fascinates me most is the geological complexity. In Troissy alone, we have five different geological layers. This results in very diverse expressions within a small area. This diversity is an enormous richness, but also requires a lot of attention and precision.

The grape Pinot Meunier is officially referred to simply as "Meunier" today. How do you view this evolution?
Since 2010, with the amendment of the Champagne specifications, it has officially only been referred to as Meunier. This is mainly intended to make the distinction with Pinot Noir clearer. For me, this name change does little to alter the value of the grape. Meunier has always been a grape with its own identity and a strong connection to this terroir.

You work with a mosaic of plots, sometimes vinified separately. How do you decide between blending and parcel-specific expression?
I primarily try to let the different layers of the Vallée de la Marne speak. The grape is the means, not the end.

In the terroir cuvées, the focus is on the expression of place, with attention to depth and finesse. TOTEM, our blended cuvée, has a different role. It is meant to show the whole. It is like a snapshot of the house, where all plots and grapes come together.
You decisively chose biodynamic viticulture. What concrete changes does that bring to your work, year after year?

Biodynamic work primarily requires a lot of observation and a clear intention. You are constantly close to nature and try to better understand and follow its signals. Each year is different, and that always requires renewed attention and adaptation, rather than fixed recipes.

In the cellar, you use both stainless steel and wood. How do you choose the right vessel without masking the terroir?
I use wood exclusively for the terroir cuvées, especially 400 and 600 liter barrels, and also foudres for Terre Mère. Large volumes allow for the preservation of freshness and minerality without overpowering the character of the terroir.
Stainless steel is reserved for TOTEM and TOTEM Rosé, to preserve the fruity, fresh, and direct character of those wines.

A historical question: Gamay was permitted in Champagne until 1942 and only definitively disappeared in 1962. Did that grape play a role in your family history?
My grandfather did indeed have Gamay in the vineyard. He uprooted those vines in the 1960s, like many winegrowers during that period. Unfortunately, there are no written records or bottles left today that recall that time.

Finally: in addition to Champagne, you also produce Coteaux Champenois and other small cuvées. What can you express in those that is less possible in Champagne?
Coteaux Champenois allow for a very different expression of the terroir. I don't seek the same balance there as in Champagne. I have two plots specifically designated for Coteaux Champenois, one for red and one for white. Low yields and concentration are central. Working on these wines often reminds me of my earlier experiences in Burgundy and Alsace.