NEW YORK, April 25, 2023 — Wilson Daniels is pleased to announce the addition of Domaine Les Monts Fournois, an exciting new project in Champagne from winemaker Juliette Alips, and Domaine du Nozay, a biodynamic leader in the Loire Valley producing terroir-driven Sancerre expressions, to its national import portfolio. These key portfolio additions reinforce Wilson Daniels’ commitment to representing family-run domaines that are the quality pinnacle in their respective regions, while further strengthening its French portfolio.
“Our French portfolio is quite extensive, and we’ve been privileged to represent some of the world’s most lauded domaines for forty-four years, starting with our longest-standing winery partner Domaine de la Romanée-Conti,” said Rocco Lombardo, President of Wilson Daniels. “With increasing demand from customers and collectors for both grower Champagne and Sancerre, we are delighted to be partnering with Domaine Les Monts Fournois and Domaine du Nozay in these key segments. Owned by the Bérèche and de Benoist families, respectively, each domaine exhibits the characteristics that Wilson Daniels is most known for: families who implement their deep winemaking knowledge and heritage to produce the finest wines from their terroir.”
Les Monts Fournois is a 9-acre premier cru monopole located in the northern part of the Montagne de Reims. Born into a grower family in Champagne, rising winemaking star Juliette Alips is leading this endeavor under the mentorship of her cousins Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche. “Starting something new from the ground up is an exciting undertaking, and I’m grateful to be doing so in partnership with my cousins and with Wilson Daniels. The team understands how to build a brand and is just as passionate about sharing these site-specific Champagnes as we are,” said Alips.
The Premier Cru Les Monts Fournois Monopole will be the focus of the domaine long-term, but until the first vintage is released in a few years, Alips has crafted a very small selection of vintage Grand Cru Champagne from the iconic Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne with the intention of highlighting regional differences in Champagne.
This spring, Wilson Daniels will also introduce Domaine du Nozay and its six unique Sancerre expressions. Founded in 1970 by Baron Philippe de Benoist and his wife Marie-Hélène, Le Nozay is a small 17th century castle surrounded by fifteen acres of Sauvignon Blanc planted in the Terres Blanches, the famous Kimmeridgian marl that is characteristic of this region. The estate has been certified organic since 2011 and biodynamic since 2017, and today is one of the few producers implementing sonic stimulation in the vineyards.
“Our philosophy in the vineyards is minimal intervention, only cultivating or fertilizing the soil naturally as needed,” said Cyril de Benoist. “Being deferential to nature and ultimately in the service of our terroir is how we are able to produce these distinctive wines with lively acidity and great aromatic complexity. Wilson Daniels respects this approach, which is how we know they will be the ideal partner to present our wines to the US market.”
The wines from both Domaine Les Monts Fournois and Domaine du Nozay are now available nationally.
About Wilson Daniels
Founded in 1978, Wilson Daniels is a fully integrated, family-owned marketing and sales company representing a highly selective portfolio of the world’s most distinctive wines. Wilson Daniels continues to pursue and elevate the standards of excellence set by founders Win Wilson and Jack Daniels through developing long-term, strategic partnerships with luxury producers that possess profound respect for terroir and are benchmarks in their region. To learn more about Wilson Daniels, visit www.wilsondaniels.com.
