Fatcork is first in the U.S. to offer Arthur Lelièvre Champagne

In a world of fast fashion, same-day delivery and instant gratification, fatcork stands firm in its belief that the best is always worth waiting for. So when fatcork founder Bryan Maletis tasted Arthur Lelièvre’s beautifully acidic, balanced vin clair from the 2021 harvest only to realize his Champagne wouldn’t be ready for at least a few more years, Bryan gathered all the composure he could muster and prepared to wait.

Fast forward to 2025, and that patience has finally paid off! For the first time ever, we received a small shipment of wines from the exciting new producer Arthur Lelièvre. Unique flavors and unconventional production methods mean that Arthur's wines appeal to those with an adventurous palate. Fatcork customers, that means you, of course. And, we're thrilled to let you know, you're the first in the U.S. to try wines from this exciting new producer. 

It began with Forget-Chauvet

Arthur Lelièvre comes from a rich lineage of winemakers in Ludes, a small Premier Cru village in Montagne de Reims that is historically known for its pinot meunier. His family’s Champagne estate is Forget-Chauvet, which was founded by his great grandparents, Pierre Forget and Cécile Chauvet, and his grandfather, Emile, in 1950. The Forget family name, however, can trace their winemaking roots in Ludes back to before the French Revolution. 

In keeping with tradition, Arthur ventured outside Ludes to pursue an education in viticulture and oenology and to gain hands-on experience in vineyards that were not his own. With his studies complete in 2014, he returned to Forget-Chauvet to take over as head vigneron. He and his sister, Ophélie, are the sixth generation to lead their family domaine comprising 10 hectares of vineyards in Ludes and the neighboring villages of Taissy and Lagery. 

(Above) Siblings Ophélie and Arthur Lelièvre (pictured here with fatcork founder Bryan Maletis) are the sixth generation to lead Champagne Forget-Chauvet.

Once at the helm, Arthur immediately began the work of transforming Forget-Chauvet to fit his vision of a more sustainable, biodiverse domaine. He discontinued the use of herbicides, insecticides and anti-rot treatments and embraced a holistic approach to nurturing the soil and preserving its balance. While his vineyards benefited from these new practices, Arthur preserved the domaine’s traditional Champagne winemaking techniques, such as blending with shorter élevage in stainless steel. He also began to think, in earnest, about the kind of winemaker he wanted to become, seeking inspiration from producers like fatcork’s Etienne Calsac and exploring the wines and winemaking styles in Burgundy and Jura. 

Arthur Lelièvre Champagne’s inaugural vintage

After years of practice, examination and study, Arthur revealed the inaugural vintage of his very own endeavor, Arthur Lelièvre Champagne, in 2021. A stark departure from his family’s Forget-Chauvet wines, Arthur Lelièvre draws its influence from the non-interventionist Burgundian style. Beginning with healthy vines and sustainable practices that have earned him the highest level of environmental certification (HVE), Arthur crafts his eponymously labeled cuvées to be, above all, complex, richly aromatic and expressive of their unique terroir.

To achieve this intriguing result, Arthur vinifies the fruit from each of his plots separately using new, vapor-sealed oak barrels and native yeasts to allow the purity of the fruit shine without any trace of oakiness. He also ages his wines on the lees in vapor-smoked barrels for a minimum of two years. Then, after an additional 22 months in the bottle under natural cork, the Champagne is disgorged in concert with the phases of a waning moon.

Arthur Lelièvre draws vin clair from his inaugural vintage of Arthur Lelièvre Champagne from vapor-smoked barrels. 

Arthur continues to grow and evolve as a winemaker, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for this exciting new producer. In the meantime, we’re beyond thrilled to offer a portion of his inaugural production (just 3,600 bottles of the 2021 vintage) in the fatcork portfolio. 

Scroll down to read more about two of our favorite Arthur Lelièvre cuvées, and then, take home the pair. 

Arthur Lelièvre Prémices Premier Cru Extra Brut

An homage to Arthur’s new eponymous endeavor, this pinot meunier-dominant blend reflects the approximate breakdown of each of the three grape varietals grown at his domaine. Notice the imagery on the label and its connection to how Arthur performs his craft. Production of this cuvée is limited to 2,200 bottles per year.

Arthur Lelièvre Ludes Chardonnay Premier Cru Brut Nature

Arthur Lelièvre released his inaugural vintage in 2021. Making the most of a challenging growing season, Arthur persevered, crafting this 100% chardonnay in the non-interventionist Burgundian style. The resulting cuvée is complex, richly aromatic and expressive of its unique terroir. Subsequent vintages will come solely from the Le Bélai plot. Its production is limited to 697 bottles per year. 

Arthur Lelièvre New Producer Package (2 bottles)

Be among the first in the U.S. to get to know the complex, aromatic, expressive Champagnes of our newest producer, Arthur Lelièvre. This package features Prémices Premier Cru Extra Brut and Ludes Chardonnay Premier Cru Brut Nature, two cuvées that have quickly joined the ranks of our caves faves.