Augustin
pronounced oh-gew-STANOne of the most original growers in Champagne. Marc Augustin from Avenay-Val-d'Or calls himself a “grower of the heart”, has named his cuvées after the four elements, has the grapes picked on flower days according to the lunar calendar, and makes some of his Champagnes without added sulphur.
See the bottlesAvailable at SZAMPAN.com.pl
6 Champagnes. Formats and packaging of the same bottle are on its page, not listed separately.
House signature
Biodynamic since 2013
Since 2013 the whole estate has been farmed biodynamically, and since 2016 it has held Demeter certification.
A cellar without steel
The wines mature in enamelled vats, Georgian and Italian amphorae and barrels made from local wood.
Earth, fire, air
The cuvées are named after the elements, and several of them are made with no added sulphur at all.
At a glance
- Founded
- early 20th century (first bottles by great-grandmother Andrée); the present house was formed by merging the two family estates of Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin
- Based in
- Avenay-Val-d'Or (Premier Cru), Montagne de Reims; vineyards also in Vertus
- Type
- grower (récoltant-manipulant), biodynamic
- Owner
- Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin
- President
- Marc Augustin
- Chef de cave
- Marc Augustin (cellar); Emmanuelle Augustin (vineyards)
- Vineyards
- 9 ha in Avenay-Val-d'Or and Vertus (Sommeliers International)
- Production
- no public data
- House style
- biodynamics with Demeter certification (since 2016), cuvées named after the elements, amphorae and enamelled vats, often with no added sulphur
Data checked: October 2026.
History
- early 20th century.
Andrée makes her own Champagne
Marc's great-grandmother Andrée decided in the early 20th century to make her own Champagne. At that time this was done almost exclusively by the big houses, and growers sold them their grapes.
- 1970s
Father says no to chemicals
Marc's father, Jean Augustin, refused in the 1970s to use synthetic fertilisers and herbicides, which were then widespread in Champagne. As a result the family's soil had little contact with chemicals before organic farming became fashionable.
- 21st century.
Two families, one house
Champagne Augustin was formed by merging the estates of two families: Emmanuelle's and Marc's, which had been making wine for four and five generations respectively. The importer Winemonger speaks of nine generations of winegrowers in total. The couple have two sons.
- 2012-2016
Organic, biodynamic, Demeter
Since 2012 the estate has farmed its vineyards organically, and in 2013 it switched entirely to biodynamics. Since 2016 it has held Demeter certification. The winery was built according to biodynamic principles, and its architecture and interior refer to the elements.
People
Marc Augustin
He talks more about strength, vibration and energy than about grape varieties, and uses feng shui and the golden ratio of 1.618. He calls his philosophy “coeurviculture”, farming with the heart. He often says: “I won't do to my vines what I wouldn't do to my children.”
Emmanuelle Augustin
She looks after the vineyards: cover crops between the rows, biodynamic preparations and summer weaving of the shoots instead of topping them. Gault&Millau writes that Marc creates the Champagnes “under the direction” of his wife.
Jean Augustin
In the 1970s he rejected synthetic fertilisers and herbicides. Gault&Millau sees this as the start of the path that his son took all the way to biodynamics.
House style
The vineyards are in two places: in Avenay-Val-d'Or, on the slope of the Montagne de Reims above Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where Pinot Noir dominates, and 22 km to the south, in Vertus on the Côte des Blancs, where Chardonnay reigns. Both villages have premier cru status. Most cuvées are based on Pinot Noir.
There is no stainless steel in the cellar. The wines mature in enamelled vats, Georgian and Italian amphorae and barrels made from local wood. Marc Augustin does not filter or chaptalise and uses minimal sulphur, and several cuvées are made with none added at all. The grapes are picked by hand on “fruit” or “flower” days according to the lunar calendar.
Gault&Millau rated three of the element cuvées at 92-93/100. The house is experimenting with flax between the rows to preserve freshness, and with permaculture using legumes.
Key cuvées
- Terre (Cuvée CCXCI)
- Pure Pinot Noir from young vines, matured in a Georgian amphora buried in the ground; dosage 8 g/l. Gault&Millau 92/100.Serving: roast poultry, wild mushrooms, pâté, hard cheeses.
- Feu (Cuvée CCCI)
- Pure Pinot Noir from old vines; Marc Augustin says this is the element with the strongest energy. Gault&Millau 93/100.Serving: duck, pigeon, grilled beef, mature Comté.
- Air (Cuvée CCXIV)
- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in equal parts from vines over 50 years old, partly in an Italian amphora. 2015 vintage: Gault&Millau 93/100.Serving: scallops, fish cooked in butter, veal, risotto.
- Cuvée CXVI
- A Blanc de Blancs with no added sulphur and no dosage. Gault&Millau 93/100.Serving: oysters, sashimi, fish tartare, fresh goat's cheese.
- O2 Rosé
- A rosé made by the saignée method (short maceration on the skins), the element of water, no sulphur, dosage 1 g/l.Serving: salmon tartare, duck, cured meats, roast beetroot salad.
- Gaïa
- The bottles lie buried in the ground for two years before disgorgement; the house calls this “geo-ageing”.Serving: mushrooms, truffle, roast root vegetables, aged cheese.
Curiosities
- anecdote The grapes for Augustin Champagnes are picked only by women. The Swedish sommelier Björnstierne Antonsson writes that this is meant to preserve a “fertile energy” in the grapes. source
- rumour According to the same author, Marc Augustin adds microscopic amounts of gold and silver to the soil “to reduce pollution”, and the wine flows through a copper device with channels laid out according to the Fibonacci sequence. The author notes that these are second-hand accounts. source
- anecdote Marc Augustin chooses the moment of bottling according to chromatology and tidal coefficients. source
- The cuvées carry Roman numerals: Terre is CCXCI (291), Air CCXIV (214), Feu CCCI (301), and the sulphur-free Blanc de Blancs CXVI (116). The house does not explain publicly what they mean. source
- Instead of trimming the vine shoots in spring, at Augustin they are woven together. source
- anecdote Part of the cellar consists of cone-shaped barrels, which Marc Augustin calls the womb. source
- Flax grows by the vineyards. Gault&Millau writes that the winemaker is testing whether it helps keep the grapes fresh. source
Champagne with no added sulphur cannot age and spoils quickly.
Augustin makes several cuvées with no added sulphur, including Blanc de Blancs CXVI, and sells them like the house's other wines. Gault&Millau rated CXVI at 93/100, on a par with Marc Augustin's best wines. source
“I won't do to my vines what I wouldn't do to my children.”
Frequently asked questions
What is biodynamic Champagne?
Champagne from vineyards farmed without synthetic crop protection products and fertilisers, with biodynamic preparations and according to the lunar calendar. Augustin has held Demeter certification since 2016 and picks its grapes by hand on “fruit” or “flower” days. Instead of trimming the shoots in spring, it weaves them together.
Does sulphur-free Champagne spoil quickly?
Not necessarily. Augustin makes several cuvées with no added sulphur, including Blanc de Blancs CXVI, with no sugar and no sulphur, which Gault&Millau rated at 93/100, on a par with the house's best wines. Such wine is best kept cool and away from light.
Which Augustin Champagne should you try first?
Terre, pure Pinot Noir from young vines, matured in a Georgian amphora buried in the ground; Gault&Millau gave it 92/100. Feu is Pinot Noir from old vines, more powerful. Air combines Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in equal parts from vines over 50 years old.
What do the Roman numerals on Augustin labels mean?
Terre is Cuvée CCXCI, i.e. 291, Feu CCCI (301), Air CCXIV (214), and the sulphur-free Blanc de Blancs CXVI (116). The house does not explain publicly where these numbers come from, so they remain a mystery, like Marc Augustin's whole philosophy.
Where does Augustin Champagne come from?
From 9 ha in two premier cru villages: Avenay-Val-d'Or in the Montagne de Reims, where mainly Pinot Noir grows, and Vertus on the Côte des Blancs, where Chardonnay reigns. The house is run by Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin, who merged the estates of two winegrowing families.
Other houses
All houses
Moët & Chandonpronounced mo-ET ay shahn-DOHN50 bottles
Dom Pérignonpronounced dom peh-ree-NYOHN27 bottles
Bollingerpronounced boh-lan-ZHAY19 bottles
Krugpronounced kroog13 bottles
Charles Heidsieckpronounced sharl ED-sik10 bottles
Veuve Clicquotpronounced vuhv klee-KOH11 bottles
Deutzpronounced duhts10 bottles
Lansonpronounced lahn-SOHN10 bottles- Marguetpronounced mar-GAY10 bottles
Louis Roedererpronounced lwee ROH-duh-rer9 bottles- J-M Sélèquepronounced zhee em seh-LEK10 bottles
Ruinartpronounced rwee-NAR8 bottles
Sources
- Sommeliers International - Marc Augustin
- Champagne Club - Marc Augustin: The Alchemist of Avenay-Val-d'Or (B. Antonsson, 30.10.2025)
- Gault&Millau - Marc Augustin
- Gault&Millau - Marc Augustin Cuvée 116
- Baur au Lac Vins - Champagne Augustin
- Winemonger - Champagne Augustin
Photos: Nicolas ANCEAU, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); G.Garitan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
