Richard Juhlin tasted the new 2018 vintage releases from R. Pouillon & Fils. [read the full champagne story]
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
R. Pouillon & Fils
★★★★
A grower with a high proportion of Chardonnay from his home village Mareuil. The firm was established in 1947 and today Roger’s son Fabrice is responsible for running it. The wines are powerful although a touch rustic. Fleur de Mareuil goes from strength to strength however. Reminds me of the frightfully expensive Billecart-Salmon Clos Saint Hilaire that is made in the same way. Even better, and actually one of the most exciting vineyard wines in the entire Champagne is Les Valnons.
‘This wine is one reason why I am just upgrading the grower to 4 stars.’
Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin
2018 R. Pouillon & Fils ‘Les Valnons Aÿ Millésime Extra Brut’
95(94)p
100ch
Oh my God, this wine was so good! One of the most sensational and tasty creations of the 101 champagne creations we tested at The Juhlin Champagne Tasting in May 2025. Chardonnay from Aÿ that retains the hazelnut oil from the terroir combined with a Meursault-rich butteriness that impresses greatly. So aromatically perfect and so brilliantly compact and magnificent. Congratulations to the first 95-pointer Pouillon!
2018 R. Pouillon & Fils R. ‘Pouillon & Fils Les Blanchiens Mareuil-sûr-Aÿ’
92(91)p
50pn 50ch
Not quite as crazy and impressive as Valnons, but extremely Selossi-influenced, chewy and richly rich. Darker fruit with greater breadth where orange and red fruits dominate together with freshly sawn wood and vanilla-draped winter apples.
2018 R. Pouillon & Fils ‘Chemin du Bois Mareuil sûr-Aÿ’
89(88)p
100pn
All Pouillon vineyard wines are gigantic, but when you have it side by side I am least impressed with this wine. A little rougher and a little more vegetable aromas and not quite the same creamy butterscotch-saturated fullness despite 100% Pinot grapes.
