PRODUCER: Maddam, Brasserie de Chablis
REGION: Chablis, Burgundy, France
FOUNDER/HEAD BREWER: Alexis & Vianney Madelin
Since our founding in 1991, Roberson Wine has been dedicated first and foremost to sourcing and distributing the world's greatest wines. Alongside our passion for all things vinous, however, we have a quintessentially British love for beer. That is why we're delighted to introduce Maddam, our first ever exclusive beer agency. Founded in 2016 by cousins and children of Burgundy vignerons, Alexis and Vianney Madelin, Maddam is a craft brewery located in the heart of Chablis. Made using exclusively organic, high-quality local ingredients, unfiltered and unpasteurised, the beers of Maddam align more with the tradition of Burgundy wines than mass-market brewing.
BREWERY HISTORY
Maddam was founded in Chablis in 2016 by cousins Alexis and Vianney Madelin. Both born and raised in the vineyards of Burgundy, they returned to the east of France following Alexis' stints in Australian winemaking and Vianney's design work with luxury Champagne and spirits houses. From the outset, the two were guided by a simple mission: to craft terroir-driven, unmistakably French beers in their homeland. Their first beers were released in 2017 to immediate acclaim, with their flagship pale ale Porte Romane winning the best pale ale award in France just six months after launch. Having spent the last nine years growing and developing their operation, they have continued to attract praise for the finesse and gastronomic potential of their beers.
AGRICULTURE & BREWING
Maddam is, at heart, a Burgundian operation. While wine dominates in this corner of France, Burgundy is also one of the largest cereal producing regions in France. Every bit of barley and wheat used at Maddam is sourced from organic farms in Burgundy, each of which was meticulously selected by Alexis and Vianney for the surpassing quality of their crop. Spring water forms the base of every beer, while hops and botanicals undergo an arduous selection process. Each beer at Maddam undergoes a 60-day brewing cycle. The first step is primary fermentation, which occurs in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, before the beer is cooled to allow for sedimentation. Before bottling, a dosage of sugar and yeast is added to trigger a secondary fermentation in bottle, creating natural carbonation. Bottles are then stored in a warm cellar for two weeks before being allowed to cool, allowing for stabilisation. The product of this technical and precise approach are beers of stunning delicacy and balance.
Having first imported these beers in early 2025, we are now delighted to feature several different bottlings from Maddam. The Porte Romane Pale Ale is their flagship beer, a delicately hopped pale ale blending floral and citrus notes with malty roundness. The Rives du Serein is a delightful summer lager defined by its malty freshness, subtle herbaceous notes, and light bitterness. Moulin de Fées is a lively, floral, and refreshing wheat beer bursting with notes of citrus and spice. Septentrionale is a delicate and wonderfully light IPA, emphasizing fruit and floral notes without the intense bitterness of some IPAs. Croix Duché is a golden, rich and creamy blonde ale with notes of exotic fruit and malty sweetness. The Vintage Fût de Pinot Noir Blonde is part of their Special Cuvées series, deeply flavoured and remarkably smooth following its twelve-month ageing in used Burgundy Pinot Noir barrels. Designed to be enjoyed alongside food, these are beers that appeal to wine lovers just as much as beer enthusiasts.
