Young, driven and already shaping one of Champagne’s notable new domaines, Juliette Alips leads Domaine Les Monts Fournois, a project she shares with her cousins, Vincent and Raphaël Bérêche of the respected Bérêche family. Combining the heritage of an established Champagne lineage with Juliette’s technical training and clear winemaking vision, the estate represents a new chapter for the Les Monts Fournois terroir.
Here is our conversation with her:
WS: Could you tell us about the essence of the Les Monts Fournois project?
JA: The project of Domaine Les Monts Fournois began in 2022. I’m lucky to manage this new estate that we created with my cousins, Vincent and Raphaël Bérêche. It’s an incredible place: 8 hectares, all south facing, with the vineyard right in front of the winery. We have old Chardonnay vines from 1961 and two parcels of Pinot Noir from 1994 and 1963. It’s an amazing vineyard and we’re very fortunate to take care of it.
Our first Champagne is the 2022 vintage, which will be released in 2027 after 5 years of lees aging under cork. For the second fermentation we use only cork - no crown caps.
WS: How was the year of 2022?
JA: Vintage 2022 was my first harvest, and it truly felt like a dream. We had great conditions - good weather, high quality and high quantity. We harvested healthy grapes, which is the best start you can hope for.
WS: You’ve been tasting the 2022 vintage with friends. What do you expect your champagne will be like in 2027?
JA: Champagne Les Monts Fournois in 2027 will be a Champagne built for aging - not a luxury style, but a precise Champagne shaped by chalk. Our terroir is pure chalk, with only about 10cm of topsoil above it.
The wine will reflect both Chardonnay (70%) and Pinot Noir (30%). Old vines naturally provide more concentration and aroma thanks to their low yields.
Our goal is to make a Champagne that highlights the terroir. For a rosé vintage, the blend would be 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. The NV cuvée will include 50% reserve wines.
WS: How would you describe your approach to winemaking?
JA: I’m a minimalist winemaker. I focus on expressing the terroir and keep intervention as low as possible.
The first fermentation is done 100% in barrel with indigenous yeasts. We age the wine for 8–9 months in large barrels (450l and 600l) from three coopers: Damy, François Frères and Chassin. We bottle in June or July and the Champagne then ages for 5 years in our cellar.
During harvest, the key is to pick healthy, ripe grapes and to press very slowly and gently. With those elements, you have the foundation for making good wine. My overall goal is to trust the quality of the grapes. You need to control, take care and taste repeatedly.
WS: What do you enjoy most about being a winemaker?
JA: What I enjoy most is being able to transform grapes into Champagne. I love every step and love managing the process. I thank the yeasts, the invisible things, for their ability to make Champagne.
The best part is harvest, as it is the first step every year, like the first link in a chain of steps.
WS: You studied oenology in Beaune and worked with renowned producers such as Louis Latour, G.D. Vajra and Champagne Roederer. What inspired you to study wine and what did you learn from those experiences?
JA: When I was young, my dream was to become an oenologist. It felt like a huge mountain to climb because it requires a lot of study and hard work. When I finally became one, I thought, wow, I’ve made it!
One of the biggest lessons I learned is the importance of rigor. Every stage of winemaking requires attention to detail. It’s a chain of small decisions that creates something great. I’ve learned to be patient in both production and winemaking.
Chemical and physical reactions are complex, so understanding them and knowing the details is essential.
WS: What have you learned most from Vincent & Raphaël?
JA: Vincent has taught me so much about viticulture, how to look closely at the vines and observe nature.
Raphaël has taught me about blending, tasting and monitoring fermentation - the core of winemaking.
They continue to teach me every day and working together in the same office makes the project even more meaningful.
WS: Do you actually drink Champagne?
JA: Every day, and on the weekend too!
WS: What is the best time for drinking Champagne?
JA: At 6 pm when you finish work. Or during an early tasting at 9 am with clients; you start the day in a good way!
JA: What is the best Champagne you’ve had?
WS: For me, wine is not only about tasting, it’s about the memory, the place and the people you share it with.
I love tasting wines with my cousins, and with Aurélien Laherte, especially his cuvée Les 7, made from seven grape varieties.
I also had an unforgettable moment in Burgundy with Raphaël, tasting Dujac’s Clos de la Roche. It wasn’t just the wine, it was the experience.
WS: How do you relax?
JA: I’m a hyperactive person. I come from a grower family, my father is a farmer producing vegetables, cereals, potatoes and onions. My mother is a winegrower but not a winemaker.
On weekends, I love helping my family in the fields. It’s very relaxing for me, being close to the soil, the fields and my family.
WS: What advice would you give?
JA: I’m still young, but if I can give advice, it’s this: always trust your dream. The goal in life is to do something you love. Everything is possible, passion, desire and dreams. It’s good to dream and to make those dreams come true.
