July 3, 2025
Adrien Renoir: A New Voice in Verzy Grand Cru Champagne
We love grower champagnes, so we are pleased to offer Adrien Renoir:
“Every new release from Renoir seems to surpass the last, so I can only encourage readers to start paying attention to one of Champagne's brightest young talents.” - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Adrien Renoir is one of Champagne’s most exciting new-generation growers, crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines from Verzy Grand Cru. He made his first vintage in 2014 and took over his family’s five-hectare estate in Verzy in 2019, refocusing on single-parcel expressions from 70% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay, and a touch of Pinot Meunier. Committed to organic farming since 2017 and certified in 2020, he also pioneers agroforestry by integrating hedges and trees throughout his vineyards. With deep respect for his grandfather’s traditions and a sharp eye on the future, he’s putting Verzy—and his name—on the map of artisanal Champagne.
In the cellar, Renoir crafts wines with precision and minimal intervention. Since 2015, he’s fermented entirely in 228-liter oak barrels—renewing just 5–8% annually—and ages reserve cuvées in large foudres. All wines undergo native yeast fermentation, full malolactic conversion, no temperature control, and minimal sulfur. They are disgorged using jetting with no added sulfites, then lightly dosed with liqueur d’expédition and grape must. The result: taut, gastronomic Champagnes that perfectly express their north-facing Verzy terroir. His Champagnes combine tension and generosity, offering a remarkable balance of chalky minerality, ripe fruit, and vinous complexity that resonates long after the glass is empty.
William Kelley of the Wine Advocate has been raving about Adrien Renoir over the last few vintages writing, "Every new release from Renoir seems to surpass the last, so I can only encourage readers to start paying attention to one of Champagne's brightest young talents".
We have a limited number of bottles, 6 of each of 2019’s and 12 of the 2016’s - these all come with a special introductory price.
If you're passionate about grower Champagne and discovering the next big thing, this is a rare chance to taste the artistry of a rising star.
Adrien Renoir Verzy Grand Cru Les Epinettes 2019
94 Points | Wine Advocate
Sourced from old massal selection Pinot Noir planted in 1973, the 2019 Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Epinettes hails from one of Renoir’s oldest Pinot Noir sites, where the soil consists of 1.2 meters of clay before the roots reach chalk. Demonstrative yet racy, it soars from the glass with notes of crisp read apple, spices and tangerine zest. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly muscular and concentrated, with a generous core of fruit balanced by refreshing, racy acidity and a distinct vein of minerality, it concludes with a long, precise finish. This parcel is located just 300 meters from Les Montants.
Adrien Renoir Verzy Grand Cru Les Vignes Goisses 2019
94 Points | Wine Advocate
Issuing from a parcel of massal selection Pinot Meunier planted in 1962 on limestone soil, Renoir's 2019 Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Vignes Goisses is the only cuvée crafted entirely from Pinot Meunier, a variety that makes up just 3% of the estate's plantings. Disgorged in November 2023 with a dosage of 0.8 grams per liter, it soars from the glass with aromas of red apple, orange zest and spices mingling with aromatic bitters. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, with a charming core of fruit, chalky structuring extract and a saline finish.
Adrien Renoir Verzy Grand Cru Les Montants 2019
94 Points | Wine Advocate
Renoir's 2019 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Les Montants is the only cuvée in the lineup crafted entirely from Chardonnay. The fruit for this wine comes from one of the family’s oldest parcels, part of which was planted in 1961 with massal selection. After just 40 centimeters of topsoil, the roots reach into the chalk. Disgorged in July 2023 with a dosage of one gram per liter, it reveals aromas of white flowers, green apple, fresh hazelnut and lemon zest. Full-bodied, generously structured and concentrated, it is underpinned by racy acidity and a chalky, tensile mid-palate, finishing with a long, citrus-inflected finale. The vineyard’s northwest exposure helps strike a delicate balance between generosity and freshness, especially in warm years like this.
Adrien Renoir Verzy Grand Cru Millesime 2016
Tasting Note:
70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from 40+ year old vines in Verzy Grand Cru. Aged around 60 months on lees and vinified in stainless steel with full malolactic fermentation. The wine offers a soft, generous texture with notes of citrus, ripe stone fruit, light brioche, Turkish delight and a gently tart freshness. Balanced dosage at 6g/l adds lift to this richly satisfying vintage expression.