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CHAMPAGNE<br />
TREND<br />
VINCENT RAPENEAU AND HIS THREE CHILDREN,<br />
VICTORINE, MARTIN AND LINE<br />
Tastes and trends change, mirrored in the ebb<br />
and flow of the market place, but despite this,<br />
Champagne continues to scale the heights. As the<br />
range of sparkling wines continues to burgeon<br />
around the world, wines from this unique region<br />
located 150 kilometres East of Paris remain an<br />
undeniable benchmark and a staple of all those<br />
memorable moments in life. The appellation<br />
area, whose boundaries were defined in a 1927<br />
law, covers 34,300 hectares and 319 localities,<br />
farmed by 16,000 winegrowers. According to the<br />
Champagne wine marketing board CIVC, shipments<br />
rose by 1.6% in 2022 compared with the<br />
previous year, reaching 326 million bottles. The<br />
increase underscores the Champagne industry’s<br />
global vitality, exemplified by its ever-popular<br />
standard range and unique high-end labels that<br />
offer considerable added value compared with a<br />
standard Brut. The concept of limited edition and<br />
artisan production methods that fully encapsulate<br />
flavour is allowing the industry to leverage<br />
the brand equity perceived by consumers.<br />
CHAMPAGNE G.H. MARTEL & CO:<br />
A RICH HISTORY<br />
For over a century, this household name in<br />
Champagne has been developing and sharing<br />
its heritage and focus on excellence. For four<br />
generations, the Rapeneau family has been the<br />
epitome of meticulous care in nurturing its<br />
high-end labels. Its art of blending encapsulates<br />
its incredible array of vineyard sites which<br />
cover 100 hectares and are certified High Environmental<br />
Value. Among the unique collection<br />
of Champagne houses with a presence in 72<br />
countries, the Paul Louis Martin independent<br />
grower brand stands out for its single-vineyard<br />
selections and its inimitable style combining<br />
heritage, passion, terroir and elegance. “Our five<br />
labels all show different aromas and exuberance”,<br />
explains cellar master Vincent Rapeneau. “We<br />
aim to market them as Brut nature. The vineyard<br />
blocks have been chosen based on their location<br />
24 WINTER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE <strong>FR</strong>ENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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