Besserat de Bellefon

GÉRARD LIGER-BELAIR’S MATHEMATICAL FORMULA CONFIRMS BESSERAT DE BELLEFON’S INTUITION!

If the Cuvée des Moines range is notable for its light and delicate froth and creamy flavour, it is because its bubbles are outstandingly fine. In order to provide a scientific demonstration of this oenological sensation, the House joined forces with an eminent expert in the field, Doctor Gérard Liger-Belair, Professor of Physics at the University of Reims. After three months of research, during which he used no fewer than three different methods to calculate the volume of Champagne bubbles, Gérard Liger-Belair was able to create a scientific model to corroborate the House’s intuitions. He concluded that on average the bubbles in Cuvée des Moines are 30% finer than those in a traditional Champagne. Besserat de Bellefon is proud to offer such a remarkable wine to Champagne lovers the world over.

Besserat de Bellefon, established in 1843 by Edmond Besserat, still embodies today the prestige so characteristic of the Champagne region.

Besserat de Bellefon was founded in Aÿ in 1843 by Edmond Besserat, who originally hailed from Hautvillers. Over the years he became recognised for his skill in crafting exceptional cuvées that he supplied to the greatest hotels, restaurants and wine merchants of the day. Following in Edmond’s footsteps, future generations continued the business. His grandsons, Victor and Edmond, became as passionate as their forebear about work well done

and a commitment to excellence and quality. With complementary talents (one was an outstanding technician, the other a highly accomplished taster) they worked together in complete harmony. They were committed to developing Besserat de Bellefon’s renown and prestige. In 1920 Edmond married Yvonne de Méric de Bellefon, daughter of a noble Champagne family, giving the House a family crest, and the Besserat de Bellefon legend was born.

The creation of Cuvée des Moines, a tribute to Haute Cuisine, was the birth of a true legend.

1930 was a historic turning point for Besserat de Bellefon, which was soon to become legendary. Victor Besserat took up the challenge laid down by the Director of a distinguished Parisian restaurant, the Samaritaine de Luxe, and crafted a delicate and lightly sparkling Champagne as a perfect accompaniment to an entire meal. This marked the birth of a range which is now

called the Cuvée des Moines in tribute to the Benedictine monks who first mastered the techniques of fermenting Champagne. This creamy flavoured Champagne, specifically designed for fine dining, was complemented by a rosé version in 1972 to the very great pleasure of all those who appreciate variety in food and wine pairing.

Over the years Besserat de Bellefon has applied its innovative spirit to creating exceptional wines in a constant quest for excellence and elegance.

For many years it has been a priority for Besserat de Bellefon to meet the requirements of its most experienced and demanding clients. It is this approach that led the House to broaden its range in 1999 with a Blanc de Blancs, exemplifying purity and delicacy through its use of Chardonnay grapes, followed in 2007 by its exceptionally

powerful 2002 Vintage Champagne. In 2009, the latest addition to the Cuvée des Moines family was revealed: Extra Brut, a supremely pure wine with a very low dosage of 3.5 g of sugar per litre. This wine is a true revelation, allowing the most astonishing matches of gourmet cuisine and wine.

In the early years of the 21st century the B de B anniversary cuvée is a celebration of Besserat de Bellefon’s inimitable style and authentic nature.

For its 170th anniversary, Besserat de Bellefon has recreated the enchantment of its historic B de B cuvée. To do this the House has given free rein to Cellar Master Cédric Thiébault, who has chosen a magnificent selection of wines from the cellars in order to craft a blend which will intensify the Besserat style. With the Cuvée B de B, Cédric Thiébault

has endeavoured to express the very best that the House can offer and provide a new oenological experience for loyal enthusiasts of the Besserat style. With this reinterpretation of the traditionally-shaped 18th century bottle, the House reveals its aesthetic nature and reasserts the symbolism of Besserat de Bellefon’s heritage with the family crest.

History timeline

1843 - fondation of "maison" Besserat in Aÿ

1920 - a wedding and the "maison" becomes Besserat de Bellefon (Edmond Besserat married Yvonne Méric de Bellefon)

1930 - Michelin star restaurant 'La Samaritaine de Luxe' in Paris chooses Besserat de Bellefon as house champagne

1960/70 - Besserat de Bellefon is served in the most famous "cabarets" in the world (like crazy horse and the moulin rouge)

1978 - Air France chooses Besserat de Bellefon for all "Concorde" flights

1989 - Besserat de Bellefon is served in "le Palais de l'Elysée"

1994 - Paris celebrates the 50th birthday of the liberation of Paris with Besserat de Bellefon

2018/19 - the "maison" Besserat de Bellefon makes its lifestyle revolution and reveals its next champagne line

2019 - Besserat de Bellefon becomes the official supplier of «Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez»

Only the best grapes will give excellent Champagnes, which is why Besserat de Bellefon’s policy on grape supply is intentionally highly selective.

In order to construct its unique style, a blend of power and elegance, Besserat de Bellefon relies on its own 25 hectare vineyard, mainly situated in the Marne Valley (a bastion of the Pinot Meunier grape) as well as a network of grape suppliers who supplement the House’s requirements for high quality grapes. Conscious that the diverse nature of the various

crus and the synergy between them brings even greater finesse and complexity to their blends, the House has built strong relationships with around a hundred winegrowers with vineyards situated in the best terroirs of the Champagne region. Most of these families have worked very closely with the House for several generations, contributing to the constancy in style of Besserat de Bellefon’s wine.

Besserat de Bellefon’s unique character is based on distinctive expertise that follows a very precise modus operandi.

Cuvée des Moines, as created in 1930, is crafted from a selection of the best Champagne wines following a blending process which is highly unusual for the Appellation. Faithful to its supply philosophy, Besserat de Bellefon has selected the best plots and best crus in the Champagne wine- growing region. After harvesting and pressing, the juice is sent to a vat-room where it undergoes primary alcoholic fermentation. One of the House’s distinctive characteristics is to not practice malolactic fermentation, which enables wines to keep

their full purity and freshness over time; their cellaring potential is therefore greatly increased. Adding a liqueur de tirage (sugar and yeast) when the wine is bottled triggers secondary fermentation. Every non-vintage Besserat de Bellefon cuvée is then left to rest in the cellar for a minimum of three years; vintage cuvées remain there for a minimum of five years. The wines are therefore cellar-aged for far longer than the minimum Appellation requirement.

Cédric Thiébault, Cellar Master for Besserat de Bellefon, has crafted the House’s wines for nearly ten years, each passing year providing the promise of future excellence.

Cédric Thiébault, whose roots lie in the Champagne region, is one of the region’s promising Cellar Masters. He joined Besserat de Bellefon in 1999 and spent seven years perfecting his knowledge of the House’s unique style with a team of oenologists in Epernay. In 2006 he was entrusted with the great responsibilities that are inherent to the position of Cellar Master.

Cédric Thiébault is guardian of both the House style and that of the wines made from some of the most prestigious crus of the region (Avize, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant...). This constant pursuit of elegance and finesse leads to a very subtle balance between aromatic strength, freshness and effervescence, while respecting ancestral tradition.