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One new producer is doing things differently, complete with a label that tells you when the bottle is perfectly chilled.
If a brand-new Champagne house makes you do a double-take, you’re not alone. Launching a new Champagne label flies in the face of the French region’s centuries-old traditions – houses date back to the 1700s, after all. So, when a new producer like EPC Champagne comes along, we’re going to sit up and pay attention. Launched in 2019, the trio behind the business set out to do something new, different, sustainable and, most importantly, collaborative. As co-founder Jérôme Queige says, it was all about creating a truly modern Champagne. “We wanted to make Champagne more accessible, more transparent and less intimidating,” he says.
The goal for Jérôme (pictured above right) and his co-founders, Édouard Roy and Camille Jullien Gilardi, was to create exceptional Champagne, but with a different approach to others in the esteemed wine region. “Each cuvée is linked to a specific terroir and co-created directly with selected winemakers,” he says. The team partners with certain growers and involves them in the entire production process. Every bottle comes with details to explain its specific site and origins, as well as its composition, with an identity card on the back label. “We are the only ones in Champagne to offer this partnership model with winegrowers.”
Jérôme explains that the wines at EPC (that’s Champagne des EPiCuriens, or Champagne for Epicureans) are made with around half the sugar of the average Champagne, as well as fewer sulphites, which creates a distinctive style. “This results in fresher, lighter and more fruit-driven wines,” Jérôme says. “They’re very drinkable, balanced and clean on the palate, and the style is identifiable and accessible yet refined.” Each bottle also comes with a secret message hidden under its collar, as well as a heat-sensitive sticker that turns blue when the Champagne hits the right serving temperature. Clever stuff.
It hasn’t all been easy, though. “As a young brand in a very traditional region, credibility was a key challenge,” Jérôme says of their early days. “Champagne is a historic industry and entering it without a family name was a bold move. We also had to build trust with winemakers while proposing a different model, but that challenge became our strength, and today our partnerships are central to our identity.” Even the old guard in Champagne has come around to the youthful new competition. “At first, there was curiosity. Our model is different, but it’s rooted in respect for terroir and collaboration with growers.”
Now, just six years later, EPC Champagne is available in more than 60 countries, including here in Australia, with two wines on the shelves at Dan’s. These are the EPC Champagne Brut NV (“vibrant, festive, balanced, fresh, lively and approachable”) and the EPC Champagne Blanc de Blancs (“light, fresh and cheerful, with strong citrus tension and elegant minerality”). Jérôme adds that fruit expression is central to both wines. “We want the terroir to speak clearly, without excessive sugar masking the wine’s identity.”
After such a massive start for EPC Champagne, Jérôme and the team are focused on continuing their expansion while staying true to their model. What does that mean? “One cuvée, one terroir, international development, new partnerships and continued innovation, but the priority remains consistency and quality,” he says. “We aim to build a Champagne that is contemporary in style, transparent in sourcing, fairer to growers and genuinely enjoyable.”
