The Goulard estate was founded in 1978 by Damien’s grandfather, marking Damien as the third generation when he took over in 2012. The close-knit, involved nature of this family is immediately apparent. Jean-Marie was overseeing the disgorgement machine in action, during which he joked about the actual work being done: “Everything is becoming mechanized.” At that point, Damien proudly points out the large Coquard basket press, which he references being one of less than a hundred left in Champagne. He has enormous respect for tradition, but the desire to define the terroir of the Massif de Saint-Thierry in his winemaking is his overarching motivation.

Damien references his “small family Domaine” while touching on the specificity of  the terroir of Massif de Saint-Thierry, which favors red varietals – 50% Meunier, 35% Pinot Noir, and a small percentage of Chardonnay. The Meunier thrives in the sandier areas of the region, while the Pinot Noir performs well with more clay in the soil, and the Chardonnay is planted in chalk—a glimpse into the geographical diversity of Massif de Saint-Thierry. All their vineyards are vinified separately in order to support the subtle beauty of the Muenier and Pinot Noir, and Damien’s touch comes later with the  blending of each cuvée. 

The whole range of his family is being overseen by Damien, but he’ll admit to putting an extra foot forward for his wines: ‘Origine,’ ‘Origine Rosé,’ and ‘La Charme.’ These elegant, mineral, and expressive wines truly represent why the red grapes thrive here, and how Damien has made huge strides since 2012, taking the Domaine organic in 2015, and adding plenty of youthful energy into J.M. Goulard.