Hugo Drappier: a life in the vineyards
Hugo Drappier won the Best Champagne award in The Master Winemaker Top 100 2025. Here, db finds out more about his life and his creation: Trop M’en Faut!
Born on 31 October 1991 in Reims, Hugo Drappier grew up in a family deeply rooted in Champagne winemaking, representing the eighth generation of the Drappier family.
At an early age, he was introduced to vineyard life by his grandfather, André, affectionately known as “Papyou”, who would take him on vineyard rounds in his Jeep, with a sandbox in the back to keep the young boy entertained while touring the vines.
According to his family, he then began learning the art of winemaking by pruning vines at the age of 10. Then, by his teenage years, Drappier already knew he wanted to become a winemaker and carry on the family legacy.
After earning a science baccalaureate, Drappier decided to broaden his horizons beyond the traditional Champagne path.
He pursued a degree in viticulture and oenology in Beaune in 2011, before continuing his studies at the Changins Engineering School in Switzerland, where he graduated in 2015 with another degree in viticulture and oenology.
During this time, he gained extensive global experience, working in prestigious vineyards in Beaujolais, Beaune, Meursault and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as well as internationally across New Zealand, Switzerland and South Africa.
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Returning to the family estate in the spring of 2016, Hugo then committed to continuing the organic farming efforts initiated by his father and went further by investing in regenerative forests in the Champagne region. The Drappier estate became the first carbon-neutral Champagne house in 2015.
Drappier also stands out for his low-intervention winemaking approach, especially when crafting some of his renowned sulphur-free Champagnes.
However, outside his work in the vineyards, he has always been passionate about aviation, and notably holds a private pilot’s licence. Plus, he is also dedicated to his local community and has served as a volunteer firefighter.
Speaking about winning Best Champagne in db’s Master Winemaker Top 100 2025 awards, Drappier said: “I am very proud and deeply thankful to have received this recognition, especially for our Champagne Trop M’en Faut!, which is highly transgressive. [The wine also won a Master medal in db’s Champagne Masters 2025]. This wine breaks the rules and appeals to new generations. This achievement is the result of many years of hard work, particularly by my father Michel.”
Trop M’en Faut! (which translates as “I can’t get enough!”) is a Champagne created by Hugo, which has been made from 100% Fromenteau, a grape that has been all but forgotten or overlooked within the Champagne region.
Fromenteau makes for a golden wine with subtle notes of fruit. As single-varietal wines with no added sugar are important to the Drappier family, Trop M’en Faut! naturally had to be a brut nature. Following an experimental phase during the 2015 harvest, this grape reached new heights with a blend of the 2019 and 2020 vintages. Ideally served chilled at 7°C, it is best paired with spaghetti alla bottarga, summer vegetables or lightly spiced chicken stew.
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