Antonin Michel, born in 1994, represents the next generation of a family deeply rooted in Champagne, descending from his maternal Wirth-Michel domaine (4ha in the Côteaux sud d’Epernay) and his paternal grandfather, the renowned grower and Spécial Club member José Michel. After early wine business studies in Reims, work experience in Mexico, and formative internships with Leclerc Briant and Olivier Lamy, Antonin returned home in 2019 when his mother fell ill, taking over Wirth-Michel while also working alongside his grandfather until José’s passing later that year. Today, he farms organically with biodynamic influences across diverse soils, preserving old massal selections that keep yields low but quality high. Production remains small at around 10,000 bottles, with much of the fruit sold to friends like Aurelien Laherte and Jean-Marc Sélèque, while winemaking is intentionally hands-off: vintage wines raised in large barrels, non-vintage in steel and concrete. As he looks to the future, Antonin envisions José Michel’s wines evolving in style toward the purity and character of Wirth-Michel, rather than the reverse, carrying both family legacies forward with quiet confidence.
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