She is known as the “Fa’bulle’euse woman”. And it is not merely a clever headline. The play on words —between fabuleuse (fabulous) and bulle (bubble)— is perfectly apt for Delphine Brulez, the woman currently at the helm of Champagne Louise Brison. And rightly so.
Louise Brison is not merely a winery. It is a tale of resilience. One of those stories that begins without grandeur and ends up as a legacy. In the early 20th century, Louise Brison barely managed to sustain a few vineyards at a time when winemaking was far from a lucrative pursuit. Yet, where others saw difficulty, he saw potential. And he persevered.
Thanks to this almost stubborn determination, subsequent generations were able to continue building. Until 1977 marked another turning point: Francis Brulez decided to change the rules of the game and focus on vintage champagnes, aged in barrels. An uncommon choice in the region, but one that would ultimately define the house's style.
Today, it is his daughter, Delphine, who carries all of this forward, taking it a step further. Without breaking from the past, yet without being ensnared by it. This balance —so challenging— is precisely what defines Louise Brison.
The winery, located in Noé-les-Mallets, in the Côte des Bar, has been operating for years with a clear philosophy: organic viticulture, minimal intervention, and maximum expression of the terroir. This is particularly evident in their chardonnay from the Côte des Bar Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature. 100% chardonnay, with no added sugar and no malolactic fermentation. The goal? To maintain the freshness, tension, and characteristic minerality of the Kimmeridgian soils of southern Champagne.
Yet there is more behind this apparent simplicity. The vinification is meticulously planned to preserve the natural balance of the wine. Part of the must ferments in oak barrels, where it gains texture and a slight complexity without losing definition. Another part is kept in tanks to preserve the fruit's purity. Then comes the second fermentation in the bottle —the essence of the traditional method—, where the wine develops its bubbles slowly and naturally.
The time spent on lees is also crucial. This prolonged contact with the yeasts adds volume, finesse to the bubbles, and those subtle nuances reminiscent of a bakery, yet always in the background. Here, nothing stands out excessively.
And then there is one of the most important decisions: not adding dosage. In other words, not "adjusting" the wine at the end. What is in the bottle is exactly what the vineyard and the vintage have yielded.
With Champagne Chardonnay de la Côte des Bar Brut Nature, there is no excessive narrative. No artifice. There is a clear idea of respecting what comes from the past and adapting it to what the wine demands today. This is why Delphine fits so well into the concept of “fa’bulle’euse”. Because she does not merely continue a story. She interprets it. She updates it. And, above all, she keeps it alive.