Our history


The history of the CHAMPAGNE THILL goes back to the beginning of the XIXth century.  Strangely enough, it all started far from the Champagne region when Jean-Adam Thill was born in Feulen, in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, in 1827. Numerous people from Belgium and Luxemburg migrated to France, which, in the middle of industrial revolution, seemed to be an Eldorado.  Full of ambition and courage, Jean-Adam Thill embarked on the "French experience".





récolte en champagneAfter a rather painful start as a day labourer, Jean-Adam Thill settled in France definitely and married Suzanne Renard, a beautiful young woman from Grendel near Arlon (now in Belgium).  Two boys were born out of this union; the eldest, Dominique, settled in the middle of the Champagne region, in the prestigious vineyard of Verzy





With hard work and years of savings, he succeeded in creating a small wine-producing estate, in which he worked relentlessly.  After the terrible “European civil war” of 14-18, Dominique Thill spent the crazy years that followed more engrossed in work than in Charleston...

The THILL Vineyard was growing slowly when he died in 1925 leaving behing his wife and Fernand, his thirteen year old only son.  Until World War II, Fernand and his mother took care of the smooth running of the wine-producing estate.



After the gloomy years of the beginning of this century, both Europe and the Champagne region in its midst suffered a fallback once more.  In this turmoil Fernand Thill, then aged 27, was made prisoner and sent to Germany for five long years.  In those troubled times, worse could have happened.

When he came back, and despite the harshness of the post-war period, he got married and the estate pursued its growth.  In 1953, short after the birth of his three daughters, Fernand Thill decided to market his wine under his own name.  The champagne, a long-lasting family tradition, finally wore his real name: THILL.  A name from Luxemburg for a wine made in Frances...

Produced in the most famous vineyard in the world, the champagne THILL, is still raised in the prestigious slopes of Verzy and Verzenay.  They belong to the few stocks terroirs that are classified 100% Grand Cru : the Must of the champagne labelled vineyards!

Since 1975, when Fernand Thill passed away, his second daughter, Marie-Thérèse, took over the family estate.  Like her ancestors, she takes care of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay stocks, from which she creates Bruts, Bruts Millésimés, the superb Blanc de Blancs Millésimés and Rosés.