History
The Coessens family has been growing grapes for six generations near the village of Ville-sur-Arce in the Aube department, in the very south of Champagne. It is said that the grandfather of Jérôme Coessens, the founder of Champagne Coessens, was able to secure the Largillier vineyard as a monopoly—that is, as the family’s sole property—through a series of barter transactions. This vineyard has been known for centuries and was already mentioned in historical sources as early as 1384. Viticulture in the region itself is even older. Ville-sur-Arce is mentioned as a wine-growing community as early as the 12th century and likely dates back to antiquity (the name is of Roman origin). The father, Alain, had also worked as a winemaker in Ville-sur-Arce, but—with the exception of a few bottles he made himself—he generally sold the grapes to large Champagne houses. His son, Jérôme Coessens, born in 1972, remained committed to winemaking but initially worked for seven years at a major Champagne brand.
Coessens took over his father’s small estate in 2003, relocated it from the town center to the outskirts of the village near the vineyards, and renamed it from Les Faches to Coessens. In 2006, Coessens decided to produce his first champagnes under his own name. In 2009, a year after his marriage to Valérie Goblet, he presented his first champagnes. Subsequently, he delved ever deeper into the terroir of his 3.36-hectare vineyard and commissioned soil analyses. As a result, he divided the lieu-dit into four parcels and structures his cuvées accordingly. Starting in 2012, the vineyard caught the attention of champagne enthusiasts when Guillaume Selosse, son of the famous Anselme, produced an own cuvée for several years using grapes from Jérôme Coessens and named it Largillier. Finally, in 2021, the house leased parcels in Les Riceys and, in 2025, introduced Pinotmaniac—its first Champagne not sourced from Largillier. That same year, the son, Grégoire, joined the business.
Style
In the radical nature of his terroir-driven approach, there is likely no one in Champagne who can be compared to Jérôme Coessens. He himself calls it a Philosophy “à la Bourgignonne.” This means a single grape variety (Pinot Noir), always a single vintage (except for one cuvée), and—apart from the newcomer Pinotmaniac—always a single vineyard. But even in Burgundy, this approach is rare—for example, at Château de la Tour with the Clos de Vougeot, though that is not a monopole. Coessens has devoted a great deal of time and resources to fully understanding this vineyard and its potential. Soil analyses have examined the various geological structures of the Largillier’s sub-plots. Essentially, it consists of a marly, poor Kimmeridgian soil characterized by alternating layers of clay and limestone (argile actually means clay). In terms of soil and subsoil composition, as well as exposure, it bears strong similarities to the great vineyards of nearby Chablis.
However—and this is the unique twist at Champagne Coessens—the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir—not Chardonnay. The winemaker distinguishes between four sub-parcels, which he has named according to their flavor profiles. These include “Minéral” from more calcareous soils, “Fruit” “Fleur/Flower,” and “Matière/Substance” with more loamy sections. Emphasis is placed on phenolic ripeness; grapes from old vines (the oldest of which were planted in 1972) are used, while less favorable sections are sold off. Consequently, Coessens works in a close-to-nature manner; since 2021, Largillier has been certified organic. A state-of-the-art Coquart press has been in use since 2008. In the cellar, all cuvées except one (and the still wines) are fermented in stainless steel tanks, and malolactic fermentation is completed in full. Coessens does not specify disgorgement dates, but the duration of bottle fermentation typically ranges from 30 to 60 months. With the exception of the Blanc de Noirs and Rosé, the dosage is Extra Brut or lower. Production volumes are low; only the Pinotmaniac is bottled in quantities of 20,000 bottles.
Portfolio
The Champagne Coessens portfolio now includes nine cuvées, all of which—with the exception of one—consist exclusively of vintage champagnes or wines made from Pinot Noir. The latest addition, with its inaugural vintage in 2022, is the Pinotmaniac, a Blanc de Noirs Extra-Brut mono-cru from Les Riceys. It is a cuvée made from four individual parcels, all of which have Kimmeridgian soils. The actual Largillier series begins with the Blanc de Noirs Brut, which is undoubtedly Coessens’ signature cuvée. Grapes from the central plots “Fruits” and “Fleurs” are used for this cuvée. The Brut Rosé comes from the eastern plot “Matière” and is produced using the traditional saignée method. In this process, the grapes are crushed by foot, releasing pigments—among other substances—into the juice. Brut Nature is made from grapes of ripe vintages from the western parcel “Minéral” and contains no dosage. In return, the bottle fermentation takes about two years longer.
Millésime Extra Brut is the only Coessens champagne to feature the vintage year on the front label. It comes from the “Matière” plot and also undergoes a significantly longer aging on the lees. The Largillier sextet is rounded out by two champagnes that break with the classic Coessens rules in one way or another. Les Sens Boisés Extra-Brut (also from “Matière”) is aged for eight months in Chablis barrels that have been reused multiple times. Exogyre Extra Brut, on the other hand, is not a vintage but comes from a solera system (in stainless steel) established in 2006 and is a cuvée of all four parcels of the Largillier vineyard. In addition, there are currently two red Coteaux Champenois Millésimé (from “Matière”), for which the house is advised by Yves Confuron (of the Burgundian Domaine Confuron-Cotedidot). One is Vendage Égrappée made from destemmed Pinot Noir grapes, and the other is Vendange Entière made from un-destemmed grapes. Both also come from the Largillier vineyard and are aged for 33 months in 228-liter Burgundian pièces, without being filtered or fined.
Tasting
I had the opportunity to taste the entire range twice: once in its entirety at Wine Paris in February 2026, and then six cuvées in Berlin in June. Even the Pinotmaniac Les Riceys Extra-Brut (2022 vintage) displays a characteristic of Coessens’ single-varietal Pinots: their delicate pink hues. It is a soft, approachable Champagne that flows easily on the palate. The bouquet features raspberries, pear, dried papaya, and a hint of black tea. Fresh and pure, but not quite on the level of the Largillier champagnes (88–89p.). Largillier Blanc de Noirs Brut (also 2022 vintage), on the other hand, really makes a statement. A delicate gold-rosé in the glass, with a soft perlage and a beautiful nose (raspberries, mandarin, brioche). A champagne from a ripe vintage, yet with tremendous delicacy. Here you sense a certain density and a subtle, yet very persistent, refined fruitiness without any overpowering notes. In this cuvée, Coessens showcases his full expertise in terroir (92–93p.).
The Largillier Brut Rosé (Vintage 2022), with its lively effervescence and intense color, is in turn quite direct, with tart fruit aromas (cranberry, wild cherries), fresh acidity, and noticeable phenolic notes. Not an aperitif rosé, but rather a dining companion (90p.) The Largillier Brut Nature (2020) also calls for this. It comes across as somewhat reductive at first and only gradually reveals notes of young sour cherries and unripe plums after aeration. On the palate, it is dense, yet distinctly tart and “non-fruity.” A champagne for connoisseurs; I would let it age a bit longer (91–92p.). The Largillier Les Sens Boisés Extra-Brut (2020), with its distinct oak character, is arguably the most “Burgundian” Champagne in the collection. Mirabelle plums, sourdough, and a hint of vanilla on the nose; creamy and long on the palate, with a delicate, salty finish (92 points).
I had only tasted the excellent Largillier Millésime 2019 Extra-Brut in Paris (94p. see here). On par with it is the Solera cuvée Largillier Exogyre-Extra Brut (unfortunately, Coessens does not specify the most recent vintage in the Réserve perpétuelle). Here we find that captivating fruit once again, albeit interpreted in a significantly darker way, despite the aromas of peaches, dried apricots, and physalis. Perhaps the 2019 Millésime is currently a bit more radiant, but the Exogyre reveals itself to be more complex and deeper (94p.). In Paris, I also had the chance to briefly taste the two very different Coteaux Champenois, currently from 2020. Here, I preferred the structured Largillier Vendange Entière Rouge to the more open and fruitier Vendange Égrappée.
Image credits
Featured image: Champagne Coessens
All photos: Stefan Pegatzky / Time Tunnel Images
