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After six months spent in Hong Kong with a prestigious wine importer, he decided to make his return to France a new opportunity for the Maison Moutard. And the distillery was perfectly suited to this challenge. An earlier work placement at the Jos Nusbaumer traditional distillery in Alsace had given him a taste for this sector. And he realised that he could benefit from the family company’s structure to create high quality products. All that remained was to make this new activity known as part of the Moutard brand. The objective was to promote the bottle, as they say, namely to make sure that it is immediately recognisable on a bar counter and, of course, that it is synonymous with quality. Apart from simply producing spirits, Alexandre threw himself into developing the identity and image that he wanted to create. Everything inspired him for this, his experience in Asia (where he returns regularly for the Vinexpo show in Hong Kong) as much as his favourite destinations, such as Florence in Italy.

Always keen on analysing the situation before speaking, always concerned about putting things into perspective, Alexandre knows how to say the right thing at the right time, which means that he always appears to be in a good mood and is seen as the acting the joker of the family.

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Besides the three big stars of the Champagne vineyards – Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, there are, however, four other grape varieties authorised under the Champagne name. Of these four “forgotten” varieties – the Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Arbane, the latter holds a special place within the Moutard Family.

Admittedly, these varietals are deemed to be a bit harsher, demanding an attention not always commensurate with the yield that one might hope for, until gradually they were abandoned in favour of the three major grape varieties.

Yet it was in 1952 that Lucien Moutard decided to plant an entire vineyard of Arbane. At the time the variety had almost disappeared from the southernmost hills of Champagne, around Bar-sur-Seine. Lucien was firmly set on defending the Arbane varietal on behalf of the diversity of flavours of the Champagne appellation.  A few years later, his son François Moutard pushed the process to completion by producing a special 100% Arbane vintage, unique in all Champagne and of an incomparable sophistication. Its hawthorn and carnation taste, with aromas of peach, apple pippin, and quince, and the production of barely a few thousand bottles each year, truly make this wine a gastronomic curiosity of the Moutard Family’s champagne. A vintage appreciated by wine lovers with organoleptic characteristics far from the rules of the genre.

“This grape variety ripens late and is difficult to work, but it brings an incomparable refinement to the assembly.” François Moutard

This is why Arbane is also used by the Moutard Family in the production of its other champagnes, acclaimed for their typicality and rare qualities. Like a signature or a trademark taste, unique to the family. A way to blend know-how, tradition, and personality into the production of wines and spirits of the highest quality.

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Although Chablis is known worldwide for its appellations and wines of Burgundy, it would be a shame to miss out on its other cultural and historical specialties. Present in Chablis since 2004, the Moutard Family invites you to discover the Chablis heritage on a touristic voyage.

During the Middle Ages the monks permanently changed the landscape of Burgundy by setting off a winemaking revolution, since becoming the spearhead of Burgundian culture. The development of the vineyards went hand in hand with that of the Benedictine and Cistercian Abbeys, which quickly became the main centres of spiritual, artisanal, artistic, and intellectual thought of the whole of Europe, in the Catholic sense of the term. The church, therefore, was instrumental in transforming the land of Burgundy into a major wine growing territory.

This is why, even today, many Romanesque and Gothic churches can be found around Chablis, in the heart of each village or associated with an abbey. Visiting these buildings not only takes you through Burgundy’s Middle Ages, it is also a way to visit the vineyards and the beautiful scenery around Chablis.

We propose following, at your leisure, a circuit of some thirty churches and chapels throughout the Chablis region. At the Chablis Tourist Office, there is a list that will take you on a nearly 150 kilometre route to discover these monuments.

You will experience how nature offers visitors an elegance and harmony in every way consistent with the idea that one has of the Chablis wines, with perhaps a dash of poetry that only such landscapes possess.

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In the 1980s, François quickly learned his profession alongside his father, then the owner of 10 hectares of vineyards and at the head of a team of four employees. Lucien had a strong character and, above all, a vision of growth for the company which was mainly based on the family’s success. With his sisters, Agnès and Véronique, François pursued the mission to help the Moutard brand to grow over the years by searching for new opportunities, conquering emerging markets, at a time when of expension for the Champagne production.

Although he readily acknowledges a few strategical errors in the past, he very quickly learned from his mistakes and, today, has a clear vision of what he wants for his company. His objectives are to stabilise the brand, continue to collect quality references and gradually ensure that the brand is recognised by major restaurants for its exceptional value for money. Growth will also involve the development of Burgundy wines and the distillery for which he has many great hopes.

A modern manager, he has an eye on everything and wants to be involved in all decisions. When buying a machine, he will always ask its user to accompany him in order to benefit from
his opinion and ensure that he gets the most out of the tool. François likes encouraging and pushing others so that they give the very best they have to offer. This does not mean that he betrays their trust. Honesty is another of his qualities and he will definitely not hesitate to give a very direct opinion if a job has not been done well.

Nowadays, François still enjoys attending shows, taking time to chat and share his passion.

He claims to know London like the back of his hand, and Brussels inside out, not to mention Paris, which he visits regularly in order to enjoy the hustle and bustle that he loves so much. He declares himself to be a “gentleman farmer“ but he shows much more energy than such a simple cliché. It is true that he is one of the dignitaries of the Confrérie du Saulte Bouchon Champenois (“Bouchonnier” to be exact), namely the one who «judges the opening of the bottles present at the sacrifice». In this structure, he sees a way to promote the qualities of Champagne even further, in particular when he participates in the enthronement of a member from a foreign country. Above all, he has a passion for powerful vehicles and motorboats, which he sails either on the lakes in the region or in the Arcachon basin. Here again, pleasure is not something to be enjoyed alone. On-board, he has to have his children around him, his clan. Nothing would be possible without them.

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Agnès takes over the administrative side of things, human resources, relationships with banks and various organisations and manages supplier accounts. However, she does not spend all of her time in the office. It is not unusual to find her at weekends welcoming visitors in order to explain the different products and participating in wine tasting. A few years ago, she also used to oversee work in the vineyards (and acknowledges that she still regularly visits them).

Her objective today is to ensure a good relationship between her brothers and cousins. For her, family is a strength for the company and she wants to be proud of having sucessfully passed it on to the next generation. The decision to buy vineyards in Burgundy met this idea to offer each family member a chance to work and thrive in the family business.
She herself recognises that the younger members of the family bring her motivation and energy with their new ideas and the implementation of innovations and challenges.

As someone who loves books and travel, open to discovering new cultures, ways of life, natural or urban landscapes, Agnès hopes to be able to travel the world more in order to see for herself «what nature and humans have done».

However, she knows that she will have to be patient still because none of the «boys» have yet declared that they want to take over the Administrative side of the business.

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