Mona Elyafi

When Caroline Fiot stepped into the role of Cellar Master at Maison Ruinart in January 2026, following Frédéric Panaïotis’ untimely passing in 2025, it marked more than a generational transition, it signaled a carefully orchestrated continuation of one of Champagne’s most enduring identities. Her appointment carries both emotional weight and strategic clarity.

When most people think of Champagne, the image is almost cinematic: candlelit chalk cellars, impeccably dressed servers, and labels steeped in centuries of tradition. The region has long been defined by heritage, prestige, and rigid rules. But a conversation with Camille Jullien Gilardi, co-founder and Marketing director of EPC Champagne, reveals a company determined to rewrite that script and pop that bubble of convention.

Interview with Antoine Bouret of Champagne Pertois-Lebrun. Our conversation organically found its own cadence. His words came out not as answers, but as chapters. It felt only natural to let his story unfold the same way he told it, not as a Q&A, but as a narrative.