News
L'Hoste ventures into still wine with a Coteaux Champenois white from Bassuet
Champagne house L'Hoste has launched a white wine under the Coteaux Champenois appellation, produced in the village of Bassuet in the Champagne region of France.
What happened
Champagne house L'Hoste has announced the launch of a white wine produced under the Coteaux Champenois appellation, with the wine originating from Bassuet, a village within the Champagne region of France. The release, announced in April 2026, marks L'Hoste's entry into still-wine production alongside its established champagne activity.
Why it matters
Coteaux Champenois occupies a distinctive position in French wine law: it is a still-wine appellation that sits entirely within the boundaries of the Champagne region, yet operates quite separately from the sparkling wines for which the area is celebrated worldwide. For a champagne house to release a wine under this appellation is a meaningful act of diversification — one that draws on the same terroir whilst stepping outside the conventions of méthode champenoise production.
L'Hoste's decision reflects a pattern that has been emerging across the region, as champagne producers look to adjacent appellations to broaden their portfolios. Still wines from within Champagne's boundaries carry their own identity and demand a different approach from both producer and consumer. By choosing Bassuet as the source for this new white wine, L'Hoste anchors the release firmly in a specific locality, lending it a sense of place that complements rather than competes with its sparkling range.
Context
Coteaux Champenois is among the lesser-known appellations in France, partly because the Champagne region's global reputation rests so heavily on its sparkling wines. Still wines produced here have historically been made in small volumes, and the appellation covers red, white, and rosé styles. L'Hoste's new release is a white wine, adding to the body of still whites produced within Champagne's viticultural heartland.
Bassuet is situated in the Champagne region and forms part of the geographical canvas from which L'Hoste draws its fruit. The launch signals that the house is willing to explore what its terroir can express beyond the traditional sparkling format — a consideration that is becoming increasingly relevant as champagne producers assess the full range of possibilities their vineyards afford.