Champagne
Aurelien
Lurquin
About
History
Aurelien Lurquin’s estate is located in Romery, a small village at the foot of a cirque below the Montagne de Reims, in the Marne Valley.
Aurélien took over his grandfather’s vineyards in 2007 after they had been leased to his cousins for around fifteen years. Today, the estate covers 2.8 hectares in Romery and Cormoyeux, of which only 1.8 hectares are vinified at the domaine. The rest is still delivered to the Fleury cooperative or to his cousins. It is probably one of the most intimate estates in Champagne. The vineyard is planted with 33% Pinot Noir, 31% Chardonnay, 36% Pinot Meunier, and a few vines of Petit Meslier.
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Becoming a winemaker was a natural path for him, as he has been immersed in this world since childhood. After beginning his apprenticeship at a young age in Champagne, he went on to gain experience in the Rhône, Chile, Burgundy, and Bandol.
Aurélien is a man defined by humility and kindness, so much so that his sincerity can almost seem suspicious. He has the innocent, bright eyes of a child and is a little absent-minded — he might even forget your appointment. Yet when it comes to his vineyard and his wines, he is an uncompromising perfectionist. No investment is too great if it can help him produce even better grapes, even when it drastically reduces yields.
The estate has practiced biodynamics, though uncertified, since 2007, and has been certified organic since 2012. To encourage biodiversity and bring more life into the vineyards, he practices agroforestry, spreads wood chips, and allows wild trees and shrubs growing among the vines to flourish. He does not trim the vines, preferring instead to roll the canopy in order to reduce plant stress and provide shade. Since 2024, following the passing of Tintin, his horse, he has also adopted no-till farming. Average yields are around 4,000 kg/ha. The grapes grow on two distinct types of soil: sandy Thanetian soil with chalk beneath it, and richer, deeper soils of clay and flint
Experience
DATAS
Surface
Bottles
grappes
His Work
SOMNIUM
2020
Unique cuvée made with the cofermentation of Chardonnay Pinot noir et Meunier
Champagne « les Forcières »
2022
Champagne blanc de noir issu de la parcelle les Forcières à Romery, vinification sans intrants, pressurage traditionnel champenois.
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2018
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MOOD
Work
Winemaking
The grapes are harvested in small 10 kg crates to keep the bunches intact and minimize handling. When necessary, they can be cooled in a cold room before being pressed in a traditional 2,000 kg Coquard press. Pressing is long and gentle, with extensive retrousse, and can last anywhere from 7 to 16 hours for the most experimental cuvées. The juice flows by gravity: some fractions are used for the sparkling wines, while the more aromatic parts, the tailles, are used for the still Coteaux Champenois wines, though on rare occasions a portion may also be used for Champagne.
The wines are aged entirely in oak barrels, mostly used ones, just as his grandfather used to do. No sugar is added, and sulfur dioxide is used only in very small amounts, if at all. From this year onward, he has also begun using a foudre to build a perpetual reserve.
Fermentations take place with native yeasts, though he may also use a selection of his own yeasts propagated in the lab, a crème de levure. Because of his extreme vineyard methods, the musts can show low acidity and lack nitrogen, making fermentations long and risky. This approach helps prevent problems and supports healthy fermentation dynamics.
The estate produces only 1 to 5 barrels per cuvée — around 300 to 1,500 bottles — and each wine has its own identity, reflecting Aurélien’s intentions and the individuality of his different plots. He now wishes to extend the élevage of his clear wines to two years in barrel, as he did in 2020, when the 2021 vintage was so small that he chose to age the previous vintage longer in order to have something to release.
Most cuvées are named after the plot they come from, though some are made by blending different grapes or parcels. Aurélien also enjoys creating collaborative cuvées, as he has done several times with Atome in Reims and with us for the cuvée Somnium.
Human
An animal lover, he is often accompanied by his loyal dog Luna, a Border Collie. He used to have more animals: cancer took his beloved horse, foxes ate his chickens, and his four little pigs escaped into the surrounding woods.
Ski touring, paragliding, and adventure shape his character — a thoughtful daredevil deeply in love with the outdoors and the mountains.
A complete and singular character, his wines reflect his personality, and the great harvest celebration held at the “House of Happiness” . the estate itself, is a perfect embodiment of this. Every year, a group of loyal followers gathers there to share a timeless moment and accompany Aurélien in his quest to give life to wine from the finest grapes he has grown throughout the year.