When Étienne Calsac took over the vineyards around Avize, Côte des Blancs, from his grandparents in 2010, he decided to start from scratch to realize his childhood dream: to become a winemaker and, above all, to make his own wine. He wanted to use the grapes that his grandparents used to sell for his own terroir champagne. From now on, cover crops in the vineyards were encouraged and pesticides were banned. Today he is part of this young champagne guard that is shaking things up and continues to plow the furrow of author and terroir champagnes with sincerity and determination.

Chardonnay is king at Étienne Calsac, along with some forgotten grape varieties such as Petit Meslier or Arbane. Each parcel is vinified separately and only part of the wine has undergone barrel aging. Étienne started a reserve perpetuelle or solera system, mixing older and younger vintages. This reserve wine is used to add depth to the non-vintage l'Echappée Belle.