Champagne Tristan Hyest

The story of Tristan Hyest is that of a young vigneron coming from a long line of winegrowers, even if the establishment of the domaine is somewhat recent. His father moved to Trelou-sur-Marne as a winemaker in the early 1980s, after having traveled to different vineyards and worked for various producers, acquiring experience and expertise that would be fundamental for running his own cellar eventually: the first vinification of the domaine only emerged in 1991, from 4.5 hectares of vineyard.

Tristan follows that very same passion, but with ideas of his own. Upon completing his oenology studies in 1999, he joined his father with goals of making his own wines. He took over the vineyard management from his family in 2001, introduced organic and sustainable viticultural practices, and began to isolate parcels and selected vineyards to vinify them individually so that their terroirs and unique characters can be better preserved in the final wines he makes.

This family is based in Trelou-sur-Marne, on the right bank of the Marne Valley situated in the western parts of the Champagne region. The village's border marks the transition between the dominance of Pinot Noir to that of Meunier (previously known as Pinot Meunier), and from the geological composition of a chalk and limestone soil to a more composite one, fundamentally layered by sands and clay amidst the limestone-chalk mix. Meunier is king here and for Tristan's family, 50% of their family's land is planted with it, with an almost equal split between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the rest.