Champagne – Leclerc Briant and Jacquesson

Leclerc Briant chef de cave Herve Jestin with a metal barrique

Two distinctive small-to-medium champagne houses, one even more wholemeal than the other. See this guide to our substantial recent coverage of Champagne.

Leclerc Briant

This was possibly the single most intriguing visit of the 20 we were mad enough to pack into four very full days and evenings. Leclerc Briant in an Épernay backstreet is far from the most lavish or glamorous champagne producer but it is certainly one of the most distinctive. The managing director Frédéric Zeimett and chef de cave Hervé Jestin seem to work in an unusual state of harmony, and also seem to be left very...