Jérôme Prévost is a revered figure in the world of grower Champagne, known for his exceptional work with the Pinot Meunier grape. His winery, La Closerie, located in the village of Gueux, just west of Reims, has gained a cult following among serious Champagne enthusiasts. Despite his relatively recent entry into winemaking, Prévost's Champagnes have become highly coveted, celebrated for their complexity and unique expression of the terroir.
Jérôme Prévost inherited approximately 2 hectares of Pinot Meunier vines in 1987 from his maternal grandmother, who instilled in him a love for the land and a commitment to integrity in winemaking. Initially, Prévost sold his grapes to the négoce, but in 1998, under the encouragement of his friend Anselme Selosse, he began producing his own Champagne. Using Selosse’s cellar in Avize, Prévost crafted his first bottlings of the now-iconic Les Béguines cuvée. In 2003, he moved his production to a garage behind his house in Gueux, and in 2018, he established a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly cellar adjacent to his vineyard.
La Closerie’s vineyard, Les Béguines, spans 2.2 hectares and is planted predominantly with Pinot Meunier, along with small sections of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. The vines, planted in 1964 using sélection massale, thrive in a unique terroir composed of sandy soil mixed with limestone, chalk, and marine fossils, remnants from when the area was once a seabed. The soil's composition, coupled with meticulous organic farming practices, contributes to the intense and ripe fruit character of Prévost’s Champagnes.
Jérôme Prévost's Champagnes are celebrated for their purity and expressive nature, showcasing the potential of Pinot Meunier as a grape capable of producing wines of profound complexity and power. His winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, allowing the natural characteristics of the grapes to shine. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in a variety of barrel sizes, and the wines are aged for ten months before bottling without fining, filtering, or cold stabilization. The resulting Champagnes are bottled with minimal dosage, typically around 2g/l, and disgorged after 14 to 17 months on the lees.
Prévost’s Champagnes are not vintage-labeled, but each bottle is a single vintage, indicated by a code known as the "LC" number (Lot Consigné). This unique identifier allows enthusiasts to discern the year of harvest, adding another layer of interest and exclusivity to his wines.
Prévost's commitment to organic viticulture and his hands-off approach in the cellar result in Champagnes that are a true reflection of their terroir. His flagship wine, Les Béguines, and the rare rosé, Fac-Simile, are testaments to the greatness of Pinot Meunier, often requiring several years of aging to fully reveal their complexity. Prévost's meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication to quality have cemented his reputation as one of Champagne’s most respected and innovative growers.
