Some encounters leave a lasting mark—not because of grand gestures, but because of the clarity with which they bring the essentials into focus. That’s exactly how it felt when I stopped by Huré Frères in Ludes with Jan Raumland just before the Printemps des Champagnes.
Max Kaindl, April 20, 2025
Reading time about 4 minutes
Huré Frères – Attitude, Origin, Signature
Ludes – A Quiet Monument of the Montagne de Reims
Ludes sits in the northern part of the Montagne de Reims – a quiet, understated village at first glance. North-facing slopes, chalky soils with touches of sand—this is a terroir that doesn’t flatter, it challenges. Precision over opulence. Depth over gloss. And that philosophy runs through everything at Huré Frères.
François Huré welcomes us without theatrics. Together with his brother Pierre, he runs the family domaine, which over the decades has become a quiet cornerstone of the independent grower scene. Eleven hectares under their own management, a few more purchased each year—every parcel is farmed with uncompromising care. No herbicides. No gimmicks. What matters is a clear sense of place.
Champagne That Doesn’t Seek to Please—It Seeks to Convince
Huré Frères is not for casual sipping. These wines demand your attention. Every plot, every grape variety, every parcel is vinified separately. Nothing is left to chance. The base wines don’t go through malolactic fermentation, preserving the natural acidity and freshness of each site. The vines are trained under a carefully managed canopy to provide shade, maintain tension, and prevent overripeness—even in warmer years.
A particularly striking detail: their perpetual reserve, started in 1982—a vinous memory bank that’s added to each year, about 10% per vintage. The result in bottle is Mémoire—a wine of depth, structure, and quiet complexity. Almost meditative.
The Wines – precise, uncompromising, vibrant
Invitation Extra Brut, 2021
The name says it all. This is your invitation into the world of Huré Frères—delicate spice, sweet apple, bread crust, orange peel. 4 grams of dosage, perfectly integrated. Calm, harmonious, yet full of energy.
A serious introduction.
Insouciance Rosé, 2022
Delicate, juicy, playful—but with backbone. Strawberry, raspberry, a touch of citrus. Long, balanced finish. Fine bubbles.
Shows that rosé can have substance without losing its lightness.
Instantanée Blanc de Noirs, 2018
A vintage with edge: warm spice, orange zest, subtle iodine. Mouthfilling yet sleek, with lively bubbles and a generous, welcoming character.
Complex, food-friendly, and full of life.
Inattendue Blanc de Blancs, 2019
Pure Chardonnay, partly aged in oak—but never showy. Green apple, chalky freshness, dancing precision. Dense yet weightless.
A Blanc de Blancs that whispers more with every sip, never raising its voice.
Mémoire, 1982-2020
30 vintages blended into a single cuvée. Aged in large oak barrels, with under 2 g dosage. Deep, spicy, saline. Bread crust, mirabelle plum, citrus zest. Vibrant, light-footed, almost epic in length.
A Champagne for the table, not just for the reception.
4 Éléments Pinot Noir, 2018
A Pinot like no other. 18 months in oak, no malo, bottle-fermented under cork. Warm fruit, orange peel—but razor-sharp freshness on the palate. Taut, vinous, focused.
Expressive yet disciplined. A Champagne with a message.
4 Éléments Chardonnay, 2019
Chalk, reduction, citrus—and a tension that doesn’t let go. Not a cuddly mousse, but laser-sharp energy. A reductive, almost Burgundian style. This Chardonnay doesn’t aim to charm—it takes a stance. Demanding, long, brilliant.
For the advanced—or those ready to become so.
A House with Inner Volume
Huré Frères is not a Champagne house for label drinkers. And that’s exactly its strength. The Huré brothers show what it means to not just respect origin, but to make it the centerpiece of everything they do. There’s no polishing here—only precision. No imitation—just conviction.
Ludes is no longer just a place for me. It’s a feeling. And Huré Frères? A name that anyone who wants to understand Champagne—not just drink it—should know.
Thank you, Jan, for bringing me along. And thank you, François, for the time, the clarity, and the wines. Huré Frères isn’t for beginners—but once you’ve been, you’ll never forget it.
Pictures: © The Art of Riesling – Maximilian Kaindl
