For almost 500 years, the Philipponnat family has left its mark on the soil of the Champagne region. Generations of men and women have cultivated the land at Ay, the family’s home since the time of Apvril le Philipponnat who owned vines at Le Léon, between Ay and Dizy, in 1522. The House is located at the very heart of the Champagne region, in the village of Mareuil-sur-Ay-classified Premier and Grand Cru, five kilometers east of Eparney. Just about 100 meters from the Romanesque church of Saint-Hilaire, and not far from the river Marne, you’ll come upon the classical façade of the House of Philipponnat, its grand courtyard and monumental portal bearing the House’s coat of arms. Philipponnat has owned an exceptional walled vineyard, unparalleled in the Champagne wine-growing area, for nearly a century – Clos des Goisses. The name fo this 5.5-hectare plot with a 45degrees incline reflects its nature: Gois or Goisse means a very steep slope. It is also the region’s warmest terroir: facing south, this pure chalk slop receives no shade from sunrise to sunset.