NICOLAS FEUILLATTE 88

Nicolas Feuillatte, founder of the largest cooperative in Champagne and the number one selling Champagne brand in France, has died. Born in Paris, Feuillatte turned down the chance to inherit his family business and instead moved to the US where he went on to become the largest importer of African coffee into the country. A prominent figure among the New York jet set, Feuillatte partied with the likes of Jackie Kennedy-Onassis, Princess Diana and Lauren Bacall. Returning to France when he was 4O, Feuillatte bought the 12-hectarte Domaine de Bouleuse in the Ardre Valley near Reims and embarked on a career in the Champagne business. Described as “daring and visionary in his approach” with “boundless energy and a profoundly independent spirit”, a non-conformist, Feuillatte initially produced Champagne to sell to his celebrity friends. In 1986 he linked up with Henri Macquart of the Centre Vinicole de Champagne (CVC). The name of their company became the Centre Vinicole-Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, which now comprises 😯 cooperatives spanning 5OOO growers and 2225 hectares of vineyard land with a storage capacity of 1OO million bottles. Last year, the company exported 1O.4 million bottles of Champagne, making it the third best-selling Champagne brand in the world behind Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Feuillatte produces a broad range of Champagnes, from an entry-level collection to a Grand Cru range. Sold in 76 countries, Nicolas Feuillatte has a particular interest in sponsoring art and cultural events around the world. Annually, an “Artist of the Year” who completes an original work for the brand is selected.