History
Louise Brison was our grandmother and Brison is our mother's maiden name. Our family concern farm 13 hectares of vines in the champagne appellation. We started making champagne in 1991.
Vineyards
Our Vineyard
The Louise Brison's soils are clay-limestone, where tis two grape varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs express themselves perfectly. Our vineyard stretches across a magnificent hillside facing south-south-east at an altitude of 320 metres. Ideally situated to capture the sunlight, it enables our Chardonnay (white grape) and Pinot Noir ( red grape) vines to bring the crop to perfect maturity at harvest time.
Keeping the soil fertile
We use organic additives and shred vine shoots after pruning. The soil is tilled mechanically to improve its physical and chemical properties and to ensure appropriate plant nutrition and the presence of fertilising agents. These techniques encourage the soil's biological activity. We practice organic fertilization, an alternative method that improves our soil structure and fertility and provides more resistance to diseases.
All this improvements maintain and help the biological activity of soil life and promote plant health and longevity.
Protecting against disease
We take preventive measures against a range of diseases. Techniques like short pruning, crop thinning and limited use of nitrogen help to prevent the excessive concentrations of leaves and bunches which encourage the spread of disease.
Maintaining biodiversity
Our farming practices help to maintain the flora and fauna of natural ecosystems, preventing the spread of pathogens and the long-term proliferation of a species.
Recovering wastewater
We have installed tanks for the recovery of wastewater.
The Yield
We control our yields by using short pruning and applying fresh cattle manure rather than chemical fertiliser.
Treatment of the Vines
As members of a group of wine-growers who aim to take an ecologically balanced approach to pest an disease control, we are able to obtain highly reliable information about the risk of infestation with various pests and hence to take timely action using the most suitable methods.
Pest Control
We do not use insecticides in order to preserve the microbiology of our soil.
Protection against Rot
We do not use any chemical protection against grey rot.
Weed Control
We work our soil by tilling, which enables our vines to draw minerals from the subsoil and to improve their metabolism.
Winemaking
Varietal Blend
Temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.
Our champagnes are made from Chardonnay, a white grape variety (40 % of the surface area under vines until 1999, 50 % since 2000).
Alcoholic Fermentation
The sugar found naturally in grapes is transformed by yeast into alcohol in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.
Malolactic Fermentation
When making our wines we do not systematically seek malolactic fermentation, the process whereby malic acid is transformed by bacteria into lactic acid. If the grapes have sufficient potential acidity, for example, malolactic fermentation is not necessary. Our aim is to preserve sufficient acidity in our wines for them to come through the ageing process.
Maturation
We vinify and mature our Chardonnay and one part of Pinot Noir wines in oak barrels for 6 to 8 months so as to permit slow oxygenation and encourage the oak flavours that enhance their aromatic complexity.
Bottling
The wines are bottled after the maturation in oak barrels. At this point we add yeast (the same as for alcoholic fermentation) and sugar to provoke the secondary fermentation which, after 4 or 5 weeks, gives the wine its sparkle.
Ageing
Long years of ageing in our cellars allow the yeast to break down in a process called autolysis, which enables our champagnes to reveal their intrinsic aromatic potential.
Disgorgement
A few months before our champagne goes on sale, we disgorge the bottles (this involves expelling the sediment caused by the breakdown of yeasts) and add a liquor, made of sugar and our wine, to restore the balance between sweetness and acidity.
Inside information
Wine Advocate ratings:
96/100
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2018, Champagne brut millésime 2002
93/100
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2018, Cuvée Tendresse millésime 2009 et Champagne Légende Louise Brison millésime 1999
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2017, Champagne Légende Louise Brison millésime 2005 et Légende millésime 2006
92/100
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2018, Champagne Louise Brison brut millésime 2012
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2017, Cuvée Tendresse millésime 2008
89+/100
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2018, Champagne Louise Brison brut légende millésime 2000