When Béné’s father, Gérard Ruppert, a forward-thinking farmer and organic vine-grower in the southeastern corner of the Côte des Bar, offered her the chance to take over the family estate, she didn’t hesitate. Instead of selling grapes to the négoce, Béné launched the first bottling of Ruppert-Leroy.
 
Today, Béné and her husband, Manu, practice biodynamic viticulture across a selection of exceptional high-altitude terroirs near Essoyes, one of the most remote and biodiverse areas of the Aube. Here, stunning hillsides, dense forests, and pastures blend seamlessly. Their estate is a model biodynamic farm where humans, livestock, wildlife, and plants coexist in harmony. Manu, a master carpenter (trained by the Compagnons du Tour de France), constructed a beautiful wooden house with an energy-efficient green roof that blends into the landscape, embodying Ruppert-Leroy’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
 
Béné and Manu’s champagnes are true reflections of their terroirs, produced from low-yield, carefully selected grapes. Fermented with natural yeasts, without fining or filtration, the wines are aged in older oak barrels, undergo secondary fermentation with just 22g/l sugar, and are disgorged without dosage. No sulfur is added at any point. These champagnes are intensely pure, harmonious, and meticulously crafted, brimming with energy—a testament to the couple’s unwavering dedication and passion.
 
The lieu-dit La Fosse Grely (at 260m altitude) is where Bénédicte’s father first planted vines in the 1980s. Surrounded by thriving forest ecosystems, the vines are situated on a south to southwest-facing slope, rooted in a thin 40cm layer of red clay with small stones, atop thick, compact limestone. After aging for nine months in fûts and demi-muids, followed by 20 months 'sur lattes,' this champagne, like all from Ruppert-Leroy, displays a striking tension and controlled energy. Aromas of black pepper accompany notes of citrus, peach, biscuit, and nuts, with delicate bitters on the palate. Exceptionally long and complex. No sulfur added. Disgorged 10/22 – Non dosé.