Yesterday I mentioned we were heading into the Petite Montagne de Reims.

Today didn't disappoint.

Our first visit was with Maxime Ponson in Coulommes-la-Montagne, a Premier Cru village just west of Reims.

Maxime has taken over the family estate alongside his younger brother Camille following the passing of their father, Pascal Ponson, in 2018. The estate covers around 40 hectares, making it quite large by grower standards, but what impressed me most wasn't the size of the operation.

It was the direction they're heading.

Maxime is converting the estate to certified organic viticulture and is determined that every grape grown by the family ends up in a bottle carrying the Ponson name.

We toured the vineyards, the cellar and the barrel room before tasting through the range.

The wines were excellent.

One of the highlights was their Premier Cru cuvée, which felt like exactly the sort of wine we're always looking for: serious enough for wine lovers but approachable enough to enjoy without overthinking it.

What stayed with me most though was Maxime himself. The night before, I'd mentioned his name to a few people around Reims and everyone seemed to have the same reaction: "Great guy, great wines."

After spending the morning with him, it was easy to see why.

After lunch we drove a few minutes up the road to Vrigny to visit Roger Coulon.

This was a producer I'd been looking forward to seeing for quite a while.

The reputation of the wines is enormous among people who follow grower Champagne closely, and after tasting them I completely understood the excitement.

They were some of the best Champagnes I've ever tasted.

The wines have incredible energy and freshness while still managing to be complex and savoury. Every wine felt different, but there was a clear thread running through the entire range.

It's difficult to explain without tasting them, but they were the kind of wines that make you stop talking for a minute and just think about what's in the glass.

Whether we end up working together remains to be seen, but it was a privilege to spend time there.
Days like today are a big reason we make these trips.

Meeting passionate growers, hearing their stories and tasting wines that challenge your expectations is what keeps the whole thing exciting.

Tonight I'm heading to bed early.

Tomorrow we do it all again.

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