Our Wine Estate in the Côte des Bar: The Story of a Family of Winegrowers

Located in the heart of the Côte des Bar, our family estate flourishes across 10 hectares of vines in the prestigious village of Les Riceys. It is here, on the largest terroir in Champagne with its 866 hectares, that we cultivate our passion for the vine to craft cuvées of character, true to our roots and respectful of nature.

Discover our cuvées

A story of winegrowing passion, from Pascal to Sébastien

1973

The founding of the estate by Pascal Walczak

2003

The arrival of Sébastien and a new era

Born into a long line of winegrowers, Pascal had always nurtured the dream of establishing his own estate. In 1973, the adventure began. With a great deal of patience and perseverance, he acquired his first plots of land in Les Riceys. Over the years, as the fruit of relentless work and a deep love of the land, the vineyard grew to reach 10 hectares. The goal had always been clear: to remain exclusively on this terroir, renowned for the exceptional quality and richness of its wines.

In 2003, Sébastien joined the family adventure to support his father. Driven by the ambition to perfect the making of our champagnes, he brought fresh momentum, focused on excellence and the environment. It was under his influence that the estate modernised, with the installation of a pneumatic press, a temperature-controlled vat room, as well as demi-muids (600 L casks with extra-fine grain) that optimise winemaking while honouring the purity of the Champagne terroir.

Les Riceys and the Côte des Bar: An Exceptional Terroir

A paradise for Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian soil

Our village, located in the south of the Côte des Bar, has unique geological characteristics. Our vines, often planted on hillsides with an ideal exposure to the sun, draw their strength from a limestone soil and marls dating back to the Kimmeridgian era. This rare combination brings finesse and minerality to our wines, while the clay retains the freshness needed during dry summers. On our land, Pinot Noir is king, accompanied by Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier to enhance our blends.

The only village in Champagne with 3 Appellations (AOC)

Classified as a “Petite Cité de Caractère”, with its three hamlets and its Renaissance churches, Les Riceys is, above all, the only wine-growing village in Champagne to hold three Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). We take immense pride in crafting these three marvels: classic Champagne, Coteaux Champenois, and our emblematic Rosé des Riceys, a rare maceration wine built for ageing.

Our Expertise: Between Champagne Tradition and Sustainable Winegrowing

A Terra Vitis Certified Estate

Aware of environmental challenges, we are proud to be Terra Vitis certified. This official approach attests to our daily commitment to sustainable winegrowing. In practical terms, we limit any use of herbicides as much as possible and have eliminated insecticides for many years now. We favour agro-ecological practices that respect the biodiversity of our soils and allow our grapes to express the most distinctive aromas of our village.

The Art of Winemaking and Patience

At the heart of our cellars, the magic happens without haste. From the rigorous selection of the juices at the press to the mastery of our blends, every stage is guided by exacting standards. We have a modern, temperature-controlled vat room that allows us to control temperatures during our fermentations, as well as to keep our reserve wines for many years. Not to mention a period in demi-muids for our Chardonnays, to bring complexity and great finesse to our champagnes.

Ageing on the Lees

Thanks to extended ageing on the lees for 24 to 36 months in a natural cellar, where the constant humidity preserves the cork and regulates oxygenation, we shape cuvées of remarkable consistency. Each year, between 70,000 and 80,000 exceptional bottles thus leave our estate to travel and grace the finest tables, in France and abroad.

Extend the Pascal Walczak estate experience

Taste our cuvées

Find our entire production online.
From the fine bubbles of our Brut Champagnes to the aromatic power of our Rosé des Riceys, have your order delivered straight to your door. (Free delivery from 12 bottles).

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Come and visit us

We would be delighted to welcome you to our tasting cellar. For an extended stay in the heart of the Côte des Bar, enjoy our fully equipped gîte “Les Perrières” (capacity 6 people) or our welcome area for motorhomes.

Discover our gîte See the Motorhome Area