González Byass UK is delighted to announce that they will be the UK distributor of G.H. Martel’s prestigious Champagne brands, G.H. Martel, Maison Vieille France and Cuvee Victoire from 1^st July 2026.

G.H. Martel & Co was founded in 1869 in Hautvillers, the village considered to be the birthplace of Champagne. The house was purchased by the Rapeneau family in 1979, who themselves have been making fine Champagnes since 1901. The company is one of the largest family producers in the region, with over 200 hectares of owned vineyards and supply from a further 500 ha of vineyard partners. G.H. Martel’s historic cellars and crayères are part of the designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in Reims.

Christophe Rapeneau, as the company’s 3^rd generation president and winemaker, works alongside his two sons and nephew running the company. They pride themselves in producing multi-award winning Champagnes from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. Christophe has vinified over 40 vintages in his career and has been named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year of the International Wine Challenge (IWC).

Melissa Draycott, Managing Director of GBUK, commented: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome G.H. Martel & Co to our portfolio.  I have personally known the family for over 20 years and always admired their passion, energy and commitment to their Champagnes, region and customers. G.H. Martel’s values of family, legacy, quality and sustainability are perfectly aligned with our own values at Gonzalez Byass.  We look forward to working together to grow the brands together in the UK.”

Jean-Remy Rapeneau, family owner and export director, added: “The time is right to grow our presence in the UK market and we can’t wait to get started with Melissa and her team at Gonzalez Byass UK.  We are passionate about producing the very best quality Champagne and giving the best service and to our customers in the UK.’’