The Verzenay bottling, part of Benoît’s Cru Selections series, is produced with purchased fruit all from within Verzenay from organic & biodynamically farmed vineyards sites. The Verzenay cru bottling showcases the leaner style of wine that Pinot Noir produces from this region of Champagne.

All of the vineyards that Benoît farms are done so with biodynamic practices and since 2009 he has been experimenting with plowing by horse. He now owns two horses that are capable of plowing all of the vineyards he owns and farms.

In 2006 he began working with Hervé Jestin, former chef de cave of Duval-Leroy, as a consultant to the estate. Much of Benoît’s winemaking practices have evolved to reflect Hervé’s influence and preference for homeopathic and biodynamics in the cellar. The two have even created a special cuvée together that is a direct representation of Hervé’s philosophies. Half of the production is bottled under Jestin’s label, the rest under the Sapience label from Benoît. The first release was in 2013 from the 2006 vintage.

All fermentations take place in oak barrels with native yeasts, Marguet prefers the added complexity that barrel ferments develop. He also finds that working with wood brings him closer to nature as opposed to steel, which is cold and impersonal in his mind. All wines go through malolactic fermentation and spend extended periods on their lees. Cellar work is done naturally through gravity flow with decisions like racking, digorgement, & bottling being made based on the lunar calendar. Benoît has also been pushing to use less and less SO2 and in 2012 80% of his production was produced sans soufre. Average SO2 is at most 25ppm.

Marguet is currently certified organic by Ecocert and certified biodynamic by Demeter.