Flavien Nowack
About
Flavien is the 8th generation of Nowack to helm the estate, which currently comprises 10 ha of vines arranged in 35 parcels in a semicircle around the village of Vendieres. All of his single parcels are at 100-120 meters in elevation. The soil here is mainly sand and clay; says Flavien, “I never get to see chalk!” Almost immediately upon taking over, Flavien began the process of converting to organics, which was completed in 2016. Today, he’s concentrating on restoring biodiversity to his parcels by establishing what he calls “natural clos” by planting trees surrounding each parcel. In addition, he’s extending green corridors of trees and cover crops through the vineyards themselves to allow native fauna (notably, not sheep because they necessitate the building of fences and thus prevent wildlife) to quickly move through and, eventually, begin the process of rewilding. According to Flavien, most vineyards are haunted by a “sense of domination,” but he is trying to cultivate a place where he isn’t “a king.”
In the cellar, one senses the same respect for natural processes. Chaptalization is strictly forbidden, as are industrial yeasts. Instead, Nowack relies on spontaneous fermentation aided by the house strain he’s cultivated for his vin clair. Sulfur, too, is used sparingly, if at all, and only then at bottling in miniscule amounts - as such, the wines generally go through malo. As of the current release, all fermentation and aging of vin clair is done in oak, while secondary fermentation is triggered either by organic cane sugar or, in wines he thinks could use a little softness, fresh juice from the same vineyard from the next vintage. There’s no hard and fast rule chez Nowack, but Flavien’s rule of thumb is sugar is better for precision and to showcase terroir, while juice brings out more pleasure in the wine, but also a bit more more meandering. Regardless, lees contact and autolysis are crucial to Flavien’s work, with his parcelaire wines receiving generally 5 years in bottle (under cork!) before disgorging.
It’s hard to avoid sounding hyperbolic about Flavien Nowack. Not only is he a tremendously gifted winemaker, but he possess a clarity of vision and motivation that is likely unmatched by any other 8th generation winemaker in champagne. Despite the reputation for experimental winemaking and his enfant terrible status, the wines are elegant and timeless, with an acidic cut that never veers into nervy or shrill. As always, Flavien suggests that they will enter their peak in four or five years, which might be an option for the stronger willed or deeper cellared among you all.
Products
Champagne 'La Fontinette' Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut
Organic. 100% Meunier. The first of the single-vineyard Pinot Meunier bottlings that are flagships of the Nowack estate holdings; ‘La Fontinette’ is a mid-slope vineyard on clay-limestone soils, along with sand and marne; two meters beneath the surface the bedrock is pure ‘marne blanche.’ Vines were planted from 1960-1965, 1ha total. All fruit is from harvest 2021. Vinification is with fully spontaneous/natural yeasts; the base wine is unfined and unfiltered. Aging is done in small oak barrels. 1g/l dosage, disgorged January 2025.
Champagne 'Les Bauchets' Blanc de Pinot Noir Extra Brut
Organic. 100% Pinot Noir. The only sparkling fully from Pinot Noir produced at Nowack that is from an estate single-vineyard. ‘Les Bauchets’ is on very pure white marne soils; Flavien mentions it’s visible right at the surface of the soils. The Pinot Noir at Bauchets was planted in 1980. Fruit is from harvest 2019; no dosage; 2 g/L RS. Vinification is with fully spontaneous/natural yeasts; the base wine is unfined and unfiltered. Aging is done in small oak barrels. Pink and purple florals are palpable on the nose; round and robust sensation on the palate, with a touch of richness in this vintage.
Champagne 'La Tuilerie' Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay. This is a rare late release of the vintage ‘Tuilerie’ bottling; here ‘L.V.’ stands for super long lees aging. Sourced entirely from a 1.20 ha plot called La Tuilerie located in the middle altitude slopes of Vandieres (Mi-Coteau). The vines average 25 years in age - the soil is white sand & limestone with marine subsoil (about 1.5-2 meters under the surface) and the land is directly facing south at 100-120 meters above sea level. Spontaneous fermentation in a combination of small oak barrels and stainless steel. Ageing in small oak barrels for the vin clair. The vin clair is not chaptalized, fined, filtered, or cold stabilized and naturally goes through malo on its own in the Spring. 119 months in cellar on lees (under capsule, not cork as in some of the other Nowack bottlings). Dosage 0 g/L.
Champagne 'Les Arpents Rouges' Extra Brut
Organic. 60% Meunier, 40% Chardonnay. The single-vineyard cuvée ‘Arpents Rouges’ is one of Nowack’s more progressive cuvées, where pushes the boundaries of his own winemaking; vinification is done entirely in small barrels with a combination of spontaneous yeasts and selected yeasts from a friend or two in the Jura (transported in lees like a mother). The vineyard site is planted at the bottom of the Vandières slope, hence the bolded ‘Bas-côteau’ on the label. Vines are between 70-80 years of age. Soils are heavier clay on top of grès, a specific sort of limestone you’ll see in the Jura and Alsace. Nowack takes a particular interest in this site, as he mentions it’s very difficult for the vines to grow here with all the stones; berries on the vines are always tiny. Historically the vineyard was used to produce still red wine, hence Les Arpents Rouge. In this release, all fruit is from harvest 2020; RS 7 g/L. The base wine is unfined, unfiltered, and unsulfured; secondary fermentation is triggered with natural grape must. Aging is done in small oak barrels. An extraordinary wine, uncommon in Champagne: nose and palate with red and golden fruit tones, lots of power, and enduring salinity. Echoes of red wine here are amply clear.
Champagne 'Les Terres Bleues' Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut
Organic. 100% Meunier. The top Pinot Meunier of the single-vineyard wines at Nowack, on sable and a particular fossil-rich limestone called terres bleues. The vineyard is planted at 180m, the very top of the best slope Flavien owns at his estate in Vandières, hence the bolded ‘Haut-côteau’ on the label. All fruit is from harvest 2022. Vinification is with fully spontaneous/natural yeasts; the base wine is unfined and unfiltered. Aging is done in small oak barrels. 1 g/l dosage, disgorged January 2025.
Champagne 'S.A.' Extra Brut
Organic. 60 % Pinot Meunier, 40% Chardonnay. ‘S.A.’ stands for ‘Sans Année,’ or non-vintage. Base 2022, with 10% reserve wines blended in (vintages 2012 to 2021). The vineyards are selected to be a reflection of Flavien’s home village, they form an arc around the single vineyards. Vinification is with both spontaneous yeasts as well as selected strains from the estate; all aging is done in oak barrels and vats. No dosage, disgorged December ‘24.
Champagne Cru d'Origine 'Cuis' 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs
Organic. 100% Chardonnay. The idea of the ‘Cru d'Origine’ range is to select parcels that are worked organically or are in conversion; they’re tiny parcels which either belong to Nowack (at the moment, not many of these) or other respected farmers and vignerons who have particular terroirs with which Nowack doesn’t typically work. Selection of parcels is obviously quite rigorous for this series, as each cuvée is tiny, and Flavien hopes to ‘laisser s’exprimer le terroir à 100%,’ through such focused windows onto particular cru and parcels. ‘Cuis’ was produced in quantities of only 528 bottles, from a parcel of 10 ares (>.1ha), vines aged 40+ years old; it’s a slice of Cuis vineyard that is on deep chalk bedrock. The wine was fermented with native yeasts, unfined and unfiltered, then rested in small neutral oak barrels for one year. Secondary fermentation is triggered with grape must, then the wine is aged under cork for at least five years (!). Base vintage 2015, disgorged May 2021.
Champagne Cru d’Origine 'Les Riceys' Extra Brut
Lutte Raisonnée. 100% Pinot Noir. This bottling from a single parcel in Les Riceys in the Cotes de Bar represents Nowack’s curiosity about other terroirs outside of his particular home of Vandières. This vineyard was planted in 1980 and 1985 on a southern exposure at 280 meters on marnes franches (clay/calcaire soils very close to the surface covered by only a little soil). Vinification is with fully spontaneous/natural yeasts. Base wine is unfined and unfiltered w/no cold filtration; secondary fermentation is triggered with natural grape must. Aging is done in small oak barrels. Disgorged March 22 after 60 months on the lees. No dosage- RS 3.4 g/l
Champagne 'LV Fontinette' Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut
Champagne 'LV Tuilerie' Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay. This is a rare late release of the vintage ‘Tuilerie’ bottling; here ‘L.V.’ stands for super long lees aging. 119 months in cellar on lees (under capsule, not cork as in some of the other Nowack bottlings). Dosage 0 g/L.
Champagne 'Autre Cru' Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut
Organic. 100% Meunier. Base vintage 2022, with 40% reserve from 2021. In 2022, the terroirs for ‘Autre Cru’ is a selection of vineyards from villages located on both the left and right banks of the Marne Valley, outside of Flavien’s home village of Vandières. Vinification is with both spontaneous yeasts as well as selected strains from the estate; all aging is done in oak barrels. No dosage, disgorged December ‘24.
Champagne Cru d'Origine 'Les Cayons - Oeuilly' Blanc de Meunier
Organic. 100% Meunier. This new bottling from the single parcel Les Cayons in the village of Oeuilly represents Nowack’s curiosity about other terroirs outside of his particular home of Vandières. It’s the first vintage in the site and therefore the first-ever release of this wine. Fruit is all from harvest 2017; the parcel is on friable chalk, much closer to what exists in the Côte des Blancs (it turns out some of this exact same famous chalk exists in the eastern mouth of the Marne valley, not only in the special stretch we all know). Base wine is unfined and unfiltered; secondary fermentation is triggered with natural grape must. Aging is done in small oak barrels. Disgorged Mar ’23, so almost the full five years on lees in bottle after tirage that Flavien hopes for with all his wines.
