Let's just say when you receive Netflix recommendations from an A-list actor, you faithfully watch them! 

The 10am morning air hung heavy with a humidity typical of Singapore. As I made my way to meet Ludovic du Plessis of Telmont Champagne, I couldn't help but wonder how the man would fare in this weather.

But when I arrived, I found Ludovic looking perfectly at ease in his blue linen blazer, even in the outdoor seating area of the cafe where there was no AC. He wore a warm smile, exuding the effortless charm of a man who was truly comfortable, not the least bit fazed by the tropical climate.

Ludovic is a veteran of the French luxury industry, with a diverse career spanning spirits, champagne, and even cigars. He's been responsible for many high-profile collaborations, working with the likes of Pharrell Williams, John Malkovich, and Serena Williams. But it's his current work at Telmont Champagne that has truly captured the wine and spirits world's attention.

We caught Ludovic at Singapore's sustainable urban farm restaurant Open Farm Community for the launch of the Telmont Réserve de la Terre and panel discussion on sustainability in Asia and in Champagne-making (Source: @ecoludo) 

Telmont is a historic Champagne House operating out of Damery, near Épernay since 1912. It was recently acquired by the Rémy Cointreau Group while being co-owned by Ludovic, the fourth-generation winemaker Bertrand Lhôpital, and none other than Leonardo DiCaprio.

The launch of Telmont's organic cuvée, the Telmont Réserve de la Terre, in Singapore last week brought Ludovic to the island, eager to spread the gospel of sustainable organic Champagnes. Ludovic describes the cuvée as a message of hope and "proof by example" of what's possible in the Champagne region where certified organic viticulture only accounts for 5% of the planted area. This was also a rare chance for me to speak to a visionary who may well leave an indelible mark on the Champagne industry in the decades to come.

I immediately saw how Ludovic has been able to recruit so many big names to Telmont's cause. He has a way of making you instantly realise the importance of the climate change movement while also giving you the sense of optimism that we could all save the planet if we work together. He tells me that I too, am now part of Telmont's "entourage," a group of climate change activists that includes everyone with a heart for the cause, from professional sailors to Michelin-starred chefs, and, of course, DiCaprio.

We discussed Telmont's origins as part of the Champagne revolution of 1911, and Ludovic's career journey before assuming the helm of the historic Champagne House. We learnt about the wildly radical steps only Telmont was bold enough to take to reduce its carbon footprint, and how we should all understand the math to avoid the pitfalls of "greenwashing."

We also hear about how Ludovic was spurred into action after a list of documentaries on climate change that DiCaprio insisted he watch. Let's just say when you receive Netflix recommendations from an A-list actor and filmmaker, you faithfully watch them! Finally, Ludovic shared with us some of the best advice he's received from his mentor, Richard Geoffroy, the legendary former Dom Pérignon cellar master.

Now, let's hear it from Ludo the Climate Optimist and raise a glass to a more sustainable future!

Follow Telmont Champagne & Ludovic's Journey: @champagnetelmont | @ecoludo | Official Website

"Telmont’s entourage includes celebrities and big names, but it also includes everyday people—every citizen of the planet—who want to move forward and take climate change seriously. They’re all part of the Telmont journey. Telmont couldn’t have grown at this speed if we were doing it alone. We are a family at Telmont."

[88 Bamboo]: Before we get started, my editorial team has tried several of your Champagnes, and we’re very impressed. We’re in total awe of what you’ve achieved together with the team at Telmont.

Now, you’re an incredibly charismatic and passionate man –we’ve seen in the way you speak about Telmont and your vision there. You’ve had a career that spans numerous larger-than-life brands, made big moves from cigars, to Champagne, to Cognac, and now being the co-owner of a Champagne House yourself!

Lots have been said about the many milestones in your career, yet we’d like to offer you the opportunity to write your own introduction. So in your own words, could you tell us who are you, Ludovic du Plessis? What drives you to pursue so many achievements regardless of the industry or category?

[Ludovic]: Thank you for the research! I would say I am a citizen of the planet. I’m lucky enough to be able to associate my working life with my passion. We do a lot of conferences at Telmont for our project “In the Name of Mother Nature” where many students attend. This is advice I give to the new generation, to all the students: find out what your passion is, and try to make it your job. Steve Jobs once said, "Do what you love, and make a difference," I think loving what you do is super important.

I was lucky enough to have a career in my passion. I started in wine and spirits, and then it’s Leonardo DiCaprio who planted the seed of sustainability in my mind. I met him 15 years ago, and he’s really the one. He’s a spokesperson for climate change at the United Nations. He has always fought for the climate change movement since a long time ago. Since the beginning, he was texting me, saying, “Ludo, you should watch this documentary, Can We Cool the Planet? You’ll see science-based solutions—you’ll understand.” And so I did.

It came in a very organic way, the realization that what I want to do is to build a better future, to have a business with purpose—a business for good. And I love Champagne. So with the team—we are a team of 16, eight men and eight women working closely together—we said, "Okay, let’s grab the bull by the horns, and let’s go step by step." What does it mean to be sustainable in the Champagne region? How do we craft the best Champagne with no compromise when it comes to sustainability? Those were the key questions. That has been our mission from the start.

Telmont Champagne's Cellar Master & "Grapefather" Bertrand Lhôpital, and Cellar Manager Aurore Guerlesquin.

So, to answer your question in short, I’d say I’m a citizen of the planet, dedicated to trying to do business for good. And I’m lucky for two reasons. First, I’ve been able to work in the wine and spirits industry since day one. Second, my entourage really helped me get to where I am today and will help me go where I want to be in the future. I always tell my team: we all have one leg in business and one leg in marketing. You can run fast… but you will always find people who can run faster than you. What’s going to make the difference is your network. That’s the head—the network, the entourage. So, if you have these two legs plus the head with your network, this will help you achieve great things. Like a trampoline, you’ll jump on that and reach a much higher level!

Ludovic's magnetic personality and vision to fight climate has inspired many to join him, including big names like Pharrell Williams.

[88B]: Now going into the Telmont story, sustainability is of course the primary goal here – to produce the best Champagnes in the most sustainable way. What does it mean and signify for Telmont to achieve 100% organic agriculture by 2025? What does this major milestone symbolise to you, to the team, and for the Champagne industry? Tying this back to Réserve de la Terre, what does this symbolize for you and Telmont?

[Ludovic]: We’re very proud. Very, very proud to move to organic farming. You know, everybody is moving towards biodiversity and talking about regenerative agriculture, which is great, which is super important, and which is very positive because everybody’s getting there—planting trees, hedgerows, cover crops between the vines. Okay, perfect.

At Telmont, we do that, but we say this is just the first step, not the final stop. You need, on top of that, to move to organic farming – which means no herbicides, no pesticides, no fungicides, and no chemical fertilizers. If you don’t go all the way, what’s the point? For me, it’s a no-brainer. Only 5% of all Champagnes in the market are certified organic. So for us, moving to 100% organic farming in our Estate and with our winegrower partners is very important. We are very proud of that.

And, at the end of the day, as Leonardo has said, Telmont’s Réserve de la Terre is a demonstration of all the benefits of organic farming for the soil, for the winegrowers, and for the wine itself. He says it’s the taste of the future, and I believe so. Because when you taste the wine, the organic grapes give it much more radiance, it’s full of light. It has tons of positive energy. I call this a happy wine. You can feel it - it’s a wine with body, but it’s not heavy. It’s ethereal, yet with a very low dosage when it comes to sugar content.

[88B]: We understand you’re a huge proponent of sustainability – could you share with us what was the lightbulb moment that made you thoroughly convinced on the need for more action to be done for our environment? Mapping that onto Telmont, tell us more about the Maison’s campaign to becoming the first climate-positive Champagne House by 2030.

[Ludovic]: So as I mentioned, Leonardo planted the seed of sustainability in my mind. So, back in 2019, I had been managing LOUIS XIII Cognac for seven years. I asked myself, "What do I want to do with my life?" I really wanted to start a business with purpose. I decided to enter the Champagne business.

I went to the Champagne region to find a Champagne House that ticked four boxes: amazing history, a family-owned business, producing exceptional wines, and one that had already started organic farming. Telmont checked all four boxes, so I dove in. I was able to convince the Rémy Cointreau group to invest and become the main shareholder. You have myself as a shareholder, and you have Bertrand Lhôpital - the fourth-generation member of the family that started Telmont back in 1912. Today, Bertrand acts as the winemaker, and what I call the “Grapefather” – the same man who cultivates the grapes and makes the wines. Then, I asked Leonardo DiCaprio to join us because, as you know, he’s a strong advocate for the climate change movement. This is not a "celebrity Champagne," – no, Leonardo is an investor. It’s a project that’s very meaningful.

Ludovic with DiCaprio at a Golden Globes Awards cocktail party back in 2014.

So we put everything together as a team and launched the project, which we called “In the Name of Mother Nature,” in June 2021. Since then, we’ve done everything we can to reduce CO2 emissions. Our target is to be net-zero or even net-positive. Carbon neutrality usually means you reduce emissions a little and do some offsetting, but that’s not enough – you’re not going to save the planet that way. We aim to cut 90% of our carbon footprint, which requires stopping a lot of practices we had in the past.

For instance, the packaging—the gift box. The best packaging is no packaging. We make Champagne, not gift boxes. If you have a good Champagne, you don’t need a gift box. Just by removing the gift box, we reduced the carbon footprint of each bottle by 8%. It’s massive. We did that in 2021. Did I lose sales? No—double-digit growth at the beginning. It’s just a question of education. If you’re a luxury brand, you don’t wait five years for your clients to say, "I don’t want the gift box anymore." You act now. That’s super important. The best packaging is no packaging.

Telmont made the decision to eliminate the use of gift boxes and fancy bespoke bottles, all in the name of sustainability.

Then there’s the bottle itself. We said no to the beautiful but heavy bespoke bottles because for Champagne, you don’t need that. You can use the classic Champagne bottle, which weighs 835 grams. We moved from the bespoke bottles to the classic ones. Now, we’ve been able to innovate further. As you know, we just launched a lightweight 800-gram bottle—something never done before. And it's now in open-source.

Leonardo became a friend 15 years ago, and I’ve always been seduced by his way of looking at the planet and his knowledge of the science and data. He made me realize that sustainability, at the end of the day, is mathematics, it’s science—which is great news. Once you know your carbon footprint, you understand exactly what you can do. And when you act, you can measure the impact. It’s all about the numbers. So it’s a science-based message of hope: yes, I can make it work. Otherwise, you might feel despair, thinking it’s never going to work. But no—fighting climate change gives me a positive outlook. When you understand the math, you can make the right decisions.

On top of that, technology is really going to help us. For example, we can have drones that monitor the vineyards, identifying where intervention is needed to protect against diseases like mildew. So I’m very optimistic about the future.

This is something Leonardo and I have discussed. I truly believe that education is everything. Leonardo always sends me documentaries to watch. These amazing documentaries on the planet can inspire the new generation to take action and fight climate change. Films like Kiss the Ground and Can We Cool the Planet? really provide inspiration.

[88B]: To that end, you’ve mentioned being on the search for a Champagne House, you’ve visited numerous Champagne-makers over several months on your Brompton bike, and then you got to meet Bertrand Lhôpital and try some of Telmont’s Champagnes. Could you tell us, what transpired during this interaction that made Telmont catch your eye? What resonated with you and made you feel that this was the one?

[Ludovic]: So, as I mentioned earlier, I had four boxes I wanted to check. First, when I sat down and heard the story of Telmont, I was immediately drawn in. It’s a Champagne House born in 1912, during the Champagne revolution. Bertrand’s great-grandfather was one of the people who started that revolution. It was a movement by small winegrowers against the big Champagne Houses. The revolution started in different villages, and Damery, our village, was one of them. These winegrowers went and burned the inventories of the big Champagne Houses. There was a real fight, and the French cavalry had to be sent in to calm things down. That day, Bertrand’s great-grandfather, Henri, decided to stop selling his grapes to the big Champagne Houses and to make his own Champagne. That’s how Telmont was born—from a revolution. I loved the story!

Ludovic's partnership began with a fateful encounter with Bertrand Lhôpital, the fourth generation winemaker of the founding family, whom Ludovic describes as the "Grapefather".

Then I learned that Bertrand was still there, acting as the winemaker, and his family was still involved. It was a family business, which checked my second box.

I found that they had already started organic farming. Bertrand was really passionate about it, but his father and sister weren’t on board at first. They told him, "Do that on your own plot, don’t mess with the rest of the domain." But Bertrand persisted, and he was one of the first in the region to start with organic and biodynamic farming, which was a visionary approach. That checked my third box.

Finally we tested the wine. I started with the Telmont Réserve Brut—which is a non-vintage blend. You have to understand, if the non-vintage is good, the House is amazing. That’s the flagship. It’s too easy to start with a Blanc de Blancs or a Blanc de Noirs—no, start with the Réserve. So, I started with the Réserve, and I fell in love immediately.

What was I looking for in tasting the wine? I’ve spent over ten years in Champagne, so I know exactly what I want: very tiny, elegant bubbles. I want my palate to feel almost like it’s sparkling with stars—tiny, delicate stars. I was also looking for a Champagne with body, but not a heavy body. This Champagne had a body that was almost ethereal, up in the air.

I also wanted a Champagne with low dosage, almost no sugar, and Telmont had that style. It has a refined body, ethereal and long-lasting on the finish, with great complexity and maturity. Most other Champagnes are aged for two years or just 15 months. Telmont Champagne is aged for at least three years. Three years is a commitment. Telmont is not only aged for three years and low dosage, compared to two years and high dosage elsewhere. That’s what I love about the Telmont style—it’s so refreshing. You get the complexity and maturity, but also this incredible freshness. How can it be so young and so mature at the same time?

Telmont's labels are info-rich, with details on the wines used to compose the blend and dosage.

[88B]: Throughout your career, you’ve made bold moves to enlist the collaborative efforts of the likes of Pharrell Williams, John Malkovich, Serena Williams and then of course Leonardo di Caprio, who is also part of the Telmont story with a shared passion for environmental sustainability. Apart from awareness, what effect do these celebrities have in making a brand feel that much more relatable and familiar to the consumer?

[Ludovic]: Everything is organic, and I’m referring to both the grapes and the endorsements. They happen naturally because these people love the project—it’s meaningful, it speaks to them, and they want to be part of it. They want to spread the good news, just like yourself! Now you’re part of the entourage. You’re part of the Telmont Collective.

You could be a celebrity or you could be a journalist, we have many people join our course from different industries to be part of our entourage. For example, we have the president of a film festival called Cinema for Change, which highlights the top ten documentaries about the planet every year. He wanted Telmont to be part of his festival.

We also have Mathieu Chapel, a fisherman from the Mediterranean who uses sustainable fishing methods—he catches specific fish at specific times in specific ways. He too is inspired by our “in the Name of Mother Nature” campaign and wants to be part of the Telmont Collective.

Romain Pillard celebrating the milestone completion of part of his solo around-the-world sailing journey at La Trinité sur Mer with Telmont Champagne. 

Then we have a sailor and entrepreneur Romain Pillard. He bought an old trimaran that Ellen MacArthur [who broke the around-the-world sailing record] once used and restored it using only recycled materials, and named the project “Use It Again!”. He’s now sailing around the world with this boat, spreading the message of sustainability. He wants Telmont on the boat for the finish line because of our message, and he wants to be part of it.

And then there are the Green Michelin Starred chefs like Josselin Marie at La Table de Colette, Florent Pietravalle at La Mirande, Glenn Viel at L’Oustau de Baumanière . All these chefs love the project and want to be part of it.

Telmont partners with Michelin Green Starred Chef Florent Pietravalle of Restaurant La Mirande to create unique food and Champagne pairings. Florent works sources from sustainable agricultural and fishing sources.

In Japan, there’s Maha Kikugawa, who runs the Treeful Treehouse hotel—an incredible luxury property with very low carbon emissions. They too want to be part of the Telmont adventure.

Telmont partners with Matsunoyama Sustainable Dining, a unique dining experience held annually in the Beech Forest of Niigata where top chefs in Japan to pay tribute to organic agriculture and forest conservation.

Telmont’s entourage includes celebrities and big names, but it also includes everyday people—every citizen of the planet—who want to move forward and take climate change seriously. They’re all part of the Telmont journey. Telmont couldn’t have grown at this speed if we were doing it alone. We are a family at Telmont.

[88B]: Going back to this shared passion for sustainability across all who’s involved with Telmont, your team has gone to such unthinkable lengths to drive down your carbon footprint – from creating a brand new lighterweight non-chromatic bottle, to reducing the amount of packaging, whilst promoting more transparency as to the Champagne, and even choosing to literally ship your Champagnes by sea as opposed to using airfreight.

How did you conceive of some of these wilder, more radical ideas to make Telmont more sustainable?

[Ludovic]: It all starts with understanding the carbon footprint. Once you know that, you can identify your priorities. Again, it’s about the math—otherwise, it's just greenwashing. You have to be very careful and know the numbers. That’s my first answer.

My second answer—and the thing we are probably most proud of—is the organic farming, of course. We are committed to getting the best grapes without using herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. We’re giving life to the grapes, which in turn gives life to the wine. And when you taste the wine, you can feel it. This is what we are most proud of: if the earth is healthy and the vines are alive, the wine will be exceptional.

For the 4th consecutive year, Champagne Telmont has been chosen as official supplier of the Cannes International Film Festival.

Telmont demonstrates to us how you can have positive growth while being radical about the environment, and yet still have fun, still enjoy life. Yes, we’re at the Cannes Film Festival. Yes, we have DiCaprio involved. It all works together. It’s a message of hope—you don’t have to suffer negative growth to be sustainable. No, you can have positive growth while being radical about sustainability and having fun. That’s why Telmont is now a business case studied by students in French universities!

[88B] : What do you think is needed to convince other Champagne Houses to follow in the same journey as Telmont’s sustainability initiatives?

[Ludovic]: I think that when people see a positive effect on the wine, they start listening. Our Réserve de la Terre is proof that this is the future of Champagne. At some point, all Champagne Houses will stop using herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers. I don't know exactly when, but it’s just a matter of time. This is the future—both for Telmont and for Champagne as a whole.

When people see the positive impact on the wine, they will pay attention. Yes, it requires more work, and yes, the yields might be lower, but in Champagne, we have what’s called the réserve climatique—a climatic reserve. When we have a bad harvest, we can take from it. We’re very fortunate in Champagne to have this practice. We can build up our climatic reserve during good years, so we can afford to take some risks with organic farming. This should push us even more toward organic farming. Other regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy don’t have this advantage. If they have a bad harvest, they simply don’t have any bottles.

At the end of the day, I’d say the most challenging thing we face right now is education. Telling the story of Telmont, making sure people understand what organic really means, is crucial. If you look at the label on each bottle of Telmont, it says: "Free of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or synthetic fertilizers." It’s as simple as that. We need to spread the message—many people still don’t know these things and they’re often surprised. That’s why sharing this message is super important.

[88B] : You’ve always given credit to the legendary Richard Geoffroy who served as Dom Pérignon’s cellar master for being a real mentor to you, and for helping you to break into the world of fine wines and spirits. Could you share with us what’s been the best piece of advice that the Pope of Champagne has given to you?

[Ludovic]: The best advice Richard Geoffroy had ever given me was, "Be yourself” and not try to be someone else because it’s already taken. He gave me confidence, and with confidence, I dared to take risks, try new things. He taught me that failure isn’t bad. It’s just a moment, and you build on those failures to achieve what you want. So, be confident, be yourself, and don’t be afraid of failures.

Ludovic regards Champagne legend, Richard Geoffroy, as an important 20-year mentor and source of inspiration. Geoffroy was previously the cellarmaster of Dom Périgon and had worked closely with Ludovic.

[88B]: Finally, we know you’re a big fan of food pairings, and you’ve done an incredible job of combining these with Telmont’s Champagnes in Europe. We want to know, is there anyone in the Asian culinary scene that you’d most like to collaborate with to firmly embed Telmont’s Champagnes in this region?

[Ludovic]: I’d love to collaborate one day with Chef Tetsuya Wakuda – one of the best Japanese chefs in Australia. I’d love to do food pairings with him. It was actually Richard who introduced me to Tetsuya, I think during my first week working at Dom Pérignon, and I have amazing memories of him. I’d love for him to taste Telmont and see if our Champagne could inspire him in any way.

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda moved from Japan to Sydney where he opened Tetsuya's in Sydney, which has consistently been ranked amongst the world's finest restaurants. He also opened the similarly acclaimed Waku Ghin in Singapore. (Source: Peter Braig)

[88B]: This has been insightful, inspiring and surprisingly energising, Ludo! We're so honoured to be part of the Telmont Collective and we're ready to run through a wall to spread the message of sustainable Champagnes now!

Follow Telmont Champagne & Ludovic's Journey: @champagnetelmont | @ecoludo | Official Website

@CharsiuCharlie