Get to know: Vincent Lagille
Nestled within the river valley and western slopes of Montagne de Reims is Vallée de L’Ardre — the true heart of pinot meunier country and the birthplace of Domaine Lagille.
A picture of tradition and present-day elegance
Having grown grapes in the Vallée de L'Ardre since the 17th century, the Lagille family settled in the village of Treslon in 1818. Nearly two hundred years later, 2017 marked a turning point for Domaine Lagille as Vincent Lagille took over the family domaine from his parents, Bernard and Marie. The older generation had, up until that point, only made Champagne for private customers. But as Vincent took charge, he expanded the business, opening it up to the public and beginning a new chapter of the Domaine Lagille story.
Today, Vincent oversees every corner of the family domaine, a sizable estate comprising 7 hectares of calcareous, clay-rich vineyards as well as grazing pastures and grain fields. A Renaissance man, Vincent has his hands in everything from growing the grapes and making Champagne to running the farm. He has three separate notebooks where he keeps meticulous notes on the processes and practices he uses to make it all run like a well-oiled machine. And while he is guided by Lagille traditions that have been passed from generation to generation, Vincent is committed to paving a new more modern path for the venerable family domaine.
A focus on biodiversity
Fierce loyalty to terroir and harmony with nature has always been part of the Domaine Lagille way, but Vincent has taken that ideology a step further and made it official, converting the entire estate to certified organic in 2019. In addition to using natural methods of fertilization and pest control, the vigneron promotes biodiversity in the vineyards by keeping farm animals like horses and chickens on the estate. Recently, Vincent also erected bat houses among the vines to test out their usefulness in controlling harmful insects that can settle on the plants.
A tale of terrior
One of only 15 grower-producers in the Vallée de L'Ardre, Domaine Lagille has made a name for itself with excellent cuvées that are acutely reflective of their unique terroir. In the production house, Vincent takes great care in crafting cuvées with very low dosage. His meticulous techniques allow the unique characteristics of his world-class grapes to take center stage their truest expression. For his cuvées that are zero dosage, Vincent uses the “taille,” a French term describing the final pressing of the grapes, to bring balance and finesse to the finish.
Several of the domaine's most exciting cuvées are part of Vincent’s vision for the future of Domaine Lagille: monovarietal, single-plot, single-vintage wines that express the the distinctive qualities of the grapes grown at the border of Treslon and the neighboring village of Vrigny, all within walking distance of the Lagille cellars.
Domaine Lagille is the first grower from Vallée de L'Ardre to join the fatcork portfolio, and we are beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with such a passionate, committed and conscientious vigneron.
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