Master Winemaker 100: Julien Lefevre

The cellar master at Champagne Collery tells db about Hemingway, the dangers of trends and his desire to showcase Champagne's "forgotten grapes". A Champenois through and through, Julien Lefevre honed his winemaking craft through a combination of work for Champagne powerhouse Moët & Chandon and a stint as an oenologist for specialist sparkling wine consultancy Oenotechnic. Since joining Aÿ-based Champagne Collery, Lefevre has worked closely with the rest of the team here to define the style of a house, with more than a century of history, that has recently been reborn. “We set no barriers other than high quality,” Lefevre explains. “We wanted to have fun and experiment to produce wines that resemble us.”

What job did you imagine yourself doing when you were seven years old?

I wanted to be an architect.

Who first led you down the winemaking career path, and how?

I discovered winemaking with my father when I was a kid, and harvesting with him.

What’s the most recent lesson this job has taught you?

Patience and tenacity lead to the best results.

If you were a wine, what would your back label say?

It is a thoroughbred wine with a lot of character, showing balance, freshness and depth; an invitation to meditation and social gathering. To be paired with friends.

What’s the last book you read?

Le Vieil Homme Et La Mer (The Old Man And The Sea) by Ernest Hemingway.

What’s the last live music performance you saw?

Calogero, a French-Italian singer.

What frustrates you most about the world of wine?

Critics and scores which deeply influence “trendy styles” sometimes hold me back from exploring a wine’s profile creation or creating beautiful blends that are not “trendy” or written about as “desirable” or “qualitative”.

Which sustainability initiative are you most proud of, and why?

Renewable energy implementation at the winery.

If you could change one thing about your wine region, what would it be?

A circular economy to develop reuse of packaging, including bottles that consume a lot of energy to be produced.

Which winemaker do you most admire, and why?

I admire a lot Champagne Jacquesson. From their long history to their vineyard management, originality in the blending process and winemaking approach, and tremendous sales results, everything lines up perfectly. When tasting the Champagne, it is very clear that every step – ageing, the disgorgement approach – is carefully, doubly thought about.

Which missing skill do you most wish you possessed?

I’d like to be able to understand and speak a language other than French.

What’s your idea of a perfect holiday?

Complete disconnection from the external world to peacefully enjoy nature’s quietness.

What is the most pressing personal or professional ambition you’d like to fulfil?

I’d like to be able to create a cuvée exclusively from some or all of the “forgotten” grapes of Champagne.

What would your final meal be? And what would you drink with it?

Beef rib-eye with Saint-Joseph Le Clos 2011 from Chapoutier. Champagne Collery is exhibiting at ProWein Düsseldorf next week in Hall 10, Stand H10.