The original and some would suggest the best of the Biodynamic Champagnes (certified by Ecocert and accredited to Demeter and Biodyvin), Champagne Fleury is based in the Côte des Bars, which is in the South of Champagne and surpasses in the production of Pinot Noir. “We were the first Champagne producers using biodynamics’, claims Jean-Sébastien Fleury. Champagne Fleury’s conversion to biodynamics was at the hands of Jean-Sébastien’s father, Jean-Pierre. His interest in sustainable wine growing began in the 1970s when he tried using manual tilling (as opposed to herbicides) and composting (as opposed to synthetic fertilizers). He began a trial with biodynamics, applying it to just 3 hectares, in 1989 and then in 1992 used it across the whole of his vineyard holdings. All 15 hectares that Fleury own (90% of which is Pinot Noir) are cultivated using biodynamics, which makes them the largest biodynamic producer in the entire Champagne region. Recently, two colleagues in the same village of Courteron were so impressed by the benefits that they have also switched, bringing the total to some 30 hectares in this village. Jamie Goode – Wine Anorak