In the world of Champagne, centuries of history and a family name become a brand's competitive edge. This is why most of the leading maisons in France's Champagne region were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries. In this market, Nicolas Feuillatte, launched in 1976, is a "young maison" that has not yet reached half a century. Even so, Nicolas Feuillatte has held the No. 1 spot in French sales since 2012, standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional powerhouses such as Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. It will mark its 50th anniversary next year, but instead emphasizes its youth as a brand strength.
Founder Nicolas Feuillatte was a successful entrepreneur in 1950s New York, importing and distributing green coffee beans from Africa. Active in New York society at the time, he inherited a vineyard in the Champagne region from his family and, thinking "let's make Champagne ourselves to enjoy with friends," jumped into the wine business. Showcasing his Champagne at New York society gatherings attended by the era's top first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe became the brand's starting point.
The turning point for the brand came in 1986. Nicolas Feuillatte joined hands with CV-CNF, one of the largest producer cooperatives in the Champagne region. Henri Macquart, who led the cooperative at the time, was a figure representing Champagne's grape growers. Combining Nicolas Feuillatte's global business sense with the producer network Macquart built laid the foundation for the brand's growth today.
This cooperative system is the biggest feature that sets Nicolas Feuillatte apart from other large Champagne houses. Typical Champagne maisons cannot meet all their raw material needs with their own vineyards and purchase grapes from external growers. In contrast, Nicolas Feuillatte has a structure in which about 5,000 grape growers participate as cooperative members. Roughly one-third of the approximately 15,000 grape growers in the Champagne region belong to this network. Because growers grow alongside the company as it expands, the brand is seen as having the strength of securing a stable supply of high-quality grapes.
This production base shines even more in blending. Champagne is a region where varying weather conditions each year make it difficult to maintain a consistent style. Nicolas Feuillatte blends grapes harvested from diverse vineyards across Champagne with reserve wines stored over multiple years to achieve a consistent style annually. According to the company, it maintains a broad supply network that draws on grapes from 11 Grand Cru sites and 32 Premier Cru sites, which in turn powers its ability to capture the individuality of varied terroirs in a single wine.
The flagship Grande Réserve Brut best embodies this philosophy. It is made by blending 65% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir, and 15% Chardonnay. By raising the proportion of Pinot Meunier compared with typical Champagne, it highlights rich fruit aromas and a soft, rounded texture. In the winemaking process, stainless steel tanks are used to maximize the grape's inherent fruit character, and long aging enhances delicate bubbles and balance.
Guillaume Roffiaen, who oversees the maison's winemaking, has served as cellar master since 2014. Under the philosophy that "good grapes should reveal their own character," he focuses on harmoniously expressing the traits of various crus through blending. Nicolas Feuillatte introduces the Grande Réserve Brut as a wine that showcases the "essence of the art of blending."
In the glass, it shows a bright, transparent gold with silvery highlights, with fine, delicate bubbles rising persistently. On the nose, the flavors of ripe yellow fruit under the summer sun come through, with abundant aromas of apricot, nectarine, and plum. On the palate, a soft texture and lively acidity combine, leaving a long, zesty finish reminiscent of grapefruit, tangerine, and kaffir lime. It pairs well not only as an aperitif but also with charcuterie platters, cheese, grilled shrimp, and stews.
It won the top prize in the sparkling wine category at the "2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards" this year. The domestic importer is Shinsegae L&B.