Philipponnat Champagne comes from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Grande Vallée de la Marne, where the Philipponnat family has owned vines since the sixteenth century. The house is built around Pinot Noir and is best known for Clos des Goisses, one of the steepest vineyards in all of Champagne. Here you will find everything from Réserve Perpétuelle to Clos des Goisses in several vintages and formats.
Philipponnat in Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ: a Champagne family since 1522
The house traces its story to 1522, when Apvril le Philipponnat is recorded as an owner of vineyards in Aÿ; he also held vines in Mareuil. The family stayed in the area, several of his descendants served as mayors of Aÿ, and the family coat of arms, registered in 1696, still appears on every bottle.
The modern Champagne house dates from 1910, when Auguste and Pierre Philipponnat set up their own company and bought the cellars beneath the château in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Since 1997 Philipponnat has been part of the Lanson-BCC group, but the family still runs it: today Charles Philipponnat leads the house together with his son François. Neighbouring Aÿ is also home to Champagne Bollinger, another house where Pinot Noir takes centre stage.
Clos des Goisses: the steep, south-facing walled vineyard above the Marne
In 1935 Pierre Philipponnat bought Clos des Goisses, even though other houses advised him to stick to blending. The vineyard covers about 5.5 hectares and drops at 35 to 45 degrees towards the south and the Marne canal. Low walls and small stairways ring the slope, and the chalk sits almost at the surface. The name comes from "goisse", an old Champagne word for a very steep hillside.
The site has one of the sunniest microclimates in the region. The wine is mostly Pinot Noir with a share of Chardonnay, largely vinified in wooden barrels without malolactic fermentation, and aged nine to eleven years in the cellar before release with a low dosage. Clos des Goisses is always a vintage Champagne.
Clos des Goisses vintages, magnums and L.V.
On the shelf are Clos des Goisses 2012, 2014 and 2015, some also in magnum and double magnum, plus a 1999. Clos des Goisses L.V. (long vieillissement) has spent extra years on its lees and was disgorged late: here from 1996 and 1997. Juste Rosé 2014 is the rosé version from the same vineyard, made from the Clos's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Réserve Perpétuelle: Philipponnat's non-vintage Champagne
Since 1946 Philipponnat has blended each new harvest with part of the previous year's blend. The reserve wines age in wooden barrels and are refreshed year after year, so every bottle carries traces of many vintages. The backbone is Pinot Noir from the south-facing slopes of the Grande Vallée de la Marne. Réserve Perpétuelle Brut is generous and vinous, while Réserve Perpétuelle Non Dosé is bottled with no dosage for a purer, tauter style.
Frequently asked questions about Philipponnat Champagne
What is the difference between Royale Réserve and Réserve Perpétuelle?
They are the same non-vintage blend. In autumn 2025 the house renamed Royale Réserve as Réserve Perpétuelle, so that the name describes how the wine is made. Older bottles may still carry the earlier label.
What does L.V. mean on Clos des Goisses?
L.V. stands for long vieillissement, long ageing. It is Clos des Goisses that has rested for decades on its lees in the house cellars and was only disgorged much later.
How long can you cellar Clos des Goisses?
For a long time. The wine is released only after about a decade in the cellar, and the high acidity from the chalk lets good vintages keep developing for many years, especially in magnum.
Who owns Champagne Philipponnat?
The house has been part of the Lanson-BCC group since 1997, but it is still run by the Philipponnat family, today by Charles Philipponnat.