Mareuil-le-Port

Mareuil-le-Port lies on the left bank of the Marne, in the Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche terroir, 16 km west of Épernay and 9 km from Dormans. The commune brings together three villages: Port-à-Binson, the main one, and Mareuil-le-Port, at the foot of the coteaux along the river at elevations of 65 to 100 metres, and Cerseuil, between 100 and 135 metres on the slopes of the Flagot valley, where it flows into the Marne. Above, the Brie plateau rises above 200 metres. The name, Marolium in 1100, comes from the Gaulish maro and ialo, “great clearing.”

The vineyards cover 396.4 ha for 149 winegrowers, according to the UMC. Meunier dominates at 76%: it buds late, is less susceptible to frost, and adapts to the valley’s clay soils; next are Chardonnay (15%) and Pinot Noir (9%). Mareuil-le-Port is among the “other crus” of Champagne, with no Grand Cru or Premier Cru designation; according to the UMC, Charles Mignon has vineyards in the commune. The Church of Saint-Remi, a historic monument since 1892, has one of the 68 twisted spires in France: a 12th-century Romanesque tower, and a 16th-century Gothic transept and choir.

The Champagne wines from Mareuil-le-Port available from STELT, a village cuvée and blends in which the commune features alongside others, are listed below; the village is on the Champagne map, next to Festigny.