The history of the Varnier-Fannière estate dates back to 1860, when the Fannière family began growing grapes and selling them to the Champagne negociant houses. It was only in 1950 that the family started producing Champagne under their own name. In 1989 Denis Varnier took over the vineyards and the house we know today was born. Varnier-Fannière's vineyard holdings are tiny, just 4 hectares of exclusively Grand Cru vineyards in Avize, Oger, Oiry and Cramant. Annual production is 3000 cases in total! Varnier-Fannière's Champagnes are archetypal examples of grower Champagne. The wines are distinctly individual, precise, and clean. Winemaking is artisanal and old-fashioned, including full malolactic fermentations and the back- straining operation of an old Coquard press. Interestingly, the wines are bottled at about 10-15% less pressure than most producers. Denis’s wife Valerie took over the estate following Denis’s untimely death in 2017. In a note to us, Valerie wrote “I wish to continue the work of Denis, for him, for Champagne lovers, and in his memory…” Valerie continues to honor Denis legacy producing incredible vinous champagnes.
"Avize is one of the truly great villages in Champagne and is home to a number of world-class growers. In that context, Denis Varnier's wines, informed by a number of old-vine parcels, stand out for their depth, vinosity and breadth. The trademark Avize minerality is alive in the Varnier-Fannière Champagnes, but all the flavors seem to live in a rich, multi-dimensional world here."
November 2013
Denis Varnier deserves more recognition for his Champagnes. These new releases are all exceptionally beautiful, precise and striking. Readers will find a sense of real old-vine gravitas running through most of these wines, the Rosé being the one exception.
Antonio Galloni, December 2016