Flatiron Wines & Spirits NY

Neither Maxime Ullens nor his wife Anna are from Champagne, or even France. They weren't winemakers, and in fact, they weren't really that into wine. But as the obsessives among you can probably identify with, the appreciation crept in, built to an all-consuming crescendo, and changed the course of their lives.

In 2012, these Belgian architects acquired the abandoned Domaine Marzilly with plans to renovate the old farmhouse and barn. But after befriending young growers like Alexandre Chartogne in the neighboring village of Merfy, the wine bug bit hard. Maxime enrolled in the Avize viticultural school and they set themselves a clear mission: to highlight the heritage of Marzilly and the Saint-Thierry massif. They revived old, ungrafted Pinot Meunier vines surrounding the house and began the process of becoming winemakers.

The domain now sources from nearly 4 hectares of vineyards, located on a distinctive sandy corner of Champagne where Pinot Meunier thrives (the sand also protects the ungrafted vines from phylloxera). Their flagship vineyard, the historic Clos de Marzilly, is entirely planted with Meunier and certified organic.

Not being under pressure to fulfill regional or familial expectations gives Maxime a distinct advantage. His reinvention of the traditional barrel speaks volumes: while he purchases some old used casks and has had several made from wood harvested from their property. While more than a few growers today keep dosage low and interventions minimal to highlight terroir expression, Max takes things a step beyond.