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The Trophées Champenois celebrates each year the players in the industry who stand out for their innovation, identity and influence. The 9th edition was held in the historic hall of the Théâtre Gabrielle-Dorziat, in Épernay, before an audience of Champagne professionals.

Maison Jean Josselin was awarded in the ‘Packaging of the Year’ category for its labels illustrated by artist Jérémy Magniez. This graphic work, conceived as a dialogue between art and terroir, gives each cuvée a strong visual identity, far removed from the classic codes of Champagne.

This distinction confirms a conviction held for several years: the dressing of a champagne bottle can be a fully creative act, true to the spirit of the estate.

La Champagne Viticole is the reference publication of the Champagne profession. To appear in a portrait there is a recognition among peers — a way of placing the house within the continuity of a demanding viticultural tradition.

The chosen title, ‘The Taste for Refinement’, neatly sums up the estate’s identity: little ornamentation, much precision. Champagnes that step aside for their terroir rather than seeking to impress.

Jean-Félix Josselin speaks of family heritage, parcel-by-parcel work, and this way of being an independent winegrower that refuses shortcuts — since 1854.

Pétronille is a novel by Amélie Nothomb published by Albin Michel. It tells of an intense female friendship, driven by a shared passion for champagne. In this story, Champagne Jean Josselin is mentioned by name — a rare literary distinction for a family estate on the Côte des Bar.

Amélie Nothomb is one of the most widely read French-language authors in Europe. That our champagne should appear in her pages says something about the deep attachment certain admirers can form with an estate — not for its fame, but for what it truly expresses.

This mention has remained discreet, much like the estate itself. We mention it today with the same reserve.

Vitipastoralism involves grazing sheep in the vineyards to maintain natural ground cover between the rows. The sheep trim the grass without compacting the soil — unlike mechanical equipment — and their presence promotes microbial life.

On our Côte des Bar plots, this practice fits naturally within our Terra Vitis and HVE approach: fewer herbicides, fewer tractor passes, a more living soil. The animals are managed by a local farmer, within an agropastoral partnership.

This return to age-old practices is not nostalgic — it is a concrete response to tomorrow’s challenges: preserving a healthy, living vineyard capable of passing on its qualities to every bottle.

High Environmental Value (HVE) is a national certification that evaluates agricultural practices across four themes: biodiversity, phytosanitary strategy, fertiliser management and water management. Level 3 is the most demanding.

For Maison Jean Josselin, this label is not a new direction — our practices were already moving in this way for several years. It is the formalisation of a conviction: working with nature rather than against it produces better wines and preserves the vineyard for future generations.

Combined with our membership of Terra Vitis and the Vignerons Indépendants, this HVE certification completes a coherent set of commitments, all oriented towards a more living vineyard and more honest champagnes.

The harvest began on 5 September, nearly two weeks ahead of the usual average. Cool nights allowed the natural acidity of the berries to be preserved despite the summer heat, giving musts of great aromatic complexity.

On our Pinot Noir plots — the dominant variety of our vineyard — potential alcohol levels reached 11 to 12°, with well-balanced acidities. The Chardonnay, meanwhile, expressed a beautiful mineral tension, true to our Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils.

The vintage wines from this harvest promise excellent ageing potential. The base cuvées benefit from a high-quality reserve that will strengthen the next assemblies.