The history of Maison J.M. GOULARD began with Paul Goulard, a generous and kind-hearted man. A farmer and winegrower, he was deeply attached to his land.

His son, Jean-Marie, joined the family business to continue this legacy. In 1978, Jean-Marie and his wife Martine founded their own estate in Prouilly, guided by a quest for quality and respect for traditional farming methods. Like their ancestors, who were both farmers and gardeners, they tend their vines with rigour and dedication.

Their three sons, Sébastien, Sylvain and Damien, grew up immersed in the rhythm of life on the estate. In 2012, Damien took the reins of the estate, driven by a desire to keep the family heritage alive and to reveal, through each wine, the expression of the terroir of the Massif de Saint-Thierry.

The estate’s vineyard is located on the Massif de Saint-Thierry, the northernmost region of the Champagne appellation.

Part of the Paris Basin, the massif has two main types of soil: sandy-clay and clay-limestone. These well-drained soils (thanks to Damien’s work!) allow for better absorption of trace elements by the vines, thus promoting the expression of the terroir in the wines.

Each grape variety finds a suitable soil here: Meunier, the House’s main grape variety, thrives on sandy soils, Pinot Noir prefers clay soils while Chardonnay requires chalky soils. An interesting feature of the wines produced using grapes from this terroir is their moderate acidity level. Young and expressive, they develop citrus and floral aromas. This characteristic gives J.M. GOULARD champagnes an elegant fluidity and a beautiful persistence on the palate.

Viticulture has played an essential role within the Goulard family for generations now.  Damien inherited this passion for the land, the vines and respect for living things, which he now expresses through his methods of grape cultivation and winemaking.

In particular, he introduced oak barrel ageing, reworked the soil and adopted sustainable viticulture practices from the moment the vines were planted. This commitment naturally led to the estate obtaining organic certification in 2021.

For him, the vineyard is a veritable garden. On the estate’s seven and a half hectares, each plot is cultivated with the utmost care. Like his grandfather, he can spend the day tying vines, ploughing the land, loosening and aerating the soil, aware that healthy, ripe grapes are the essential to a great champagne.