Champagne A. Chauvet

1848, one year, one destiny – while in 1848 the country's history experienced some turbulence, Constant Harlin set about shaping that of the House. A cooper by trade, he decided to acquire the Domaine de la Croix Saint-Jacques in Tours-sur-Marne as well as a few plots of vines in Bisseuil and Bouzy. From then on, he produced his own Champagne there. For several years, he will develop his business with vigor, thus writing the first chapter of a family saga. A strong legacy that he will bequeath to his little niece Aimée and her husband Auguste Chauvet.

A Family Spirit that defies Time – the Paillard-Chauvet family draws its strength from the richness of its family ties. In more than 170 years, the Domaine has seen many men and women follow one another. One after the other, each has undoubtedly made its contribution and left a strong family imprint. This Family Spirit present in each of their gestures and decisions seems to defy Time and allows the current generation to chisel great Champagnes. “Bel Esprit” Champagnes which express the terroir and the know-how of their creators.

Constant Harlin (1848–1898) – This daring young entrepreneur began to market his own blends in 1848. At that time, Maison A.Chauvet bore his name. His daring marks the start of an incredible family adventure. He offers his descendants a solid wine heritage in Bisseuil and Bouzy. These prestigious Champagne Crus are renowned for the exceptional quality of their grapes and the remarkable character of their geographical and climatic location.

Auguste Chauvet (1898–1946) – A worthy heir to his great-uncle Constant Harlin, Auguste Chauvet was quick to develop the Domaine with ardor and creativity. Auguste and his wife Aimée had a refined artistic sense and developed the marketing of their Champagnes by organizing concerts and reading circles in their living room. A bit dandy, this winemaker has passed on his “Bel Esprit” style. As proof of a job well done and appreciated, he affixed this wax seal depicting "the trumpets of fame" and his name on his bottles.

Jeanine Chauvet (1946–2000) – Faithful to her father's vision of subtly mixing Elegance with Simplicity, Jeanine Chauvet gives the House a touch of fantasy. Loved and respected by her family and her loyal customers, she embodied Champagne Elegance. Inexhaustible when it came to sharing her love for a job well done and for her wines, she liked to remind people that "the best Champagne in the world is first and foremost the one you prefer".

Jean Paillard (1946–1996) – For his part, Jean Paillard, with a strong winemaking training in Beaune, is heir to a long line of winegrowers from Verzenay. By adding his vineyard to that of his wife Jeanine Chauvet, he will produce wines of great diversity. He worked to restructure the vineyard and develop tailor-made viticulture. Present on all fronts, he has worked in the winery to transcribe this vision of Elegant Simplicity to his wines of which we have retained the spirit. The current generation perpetuates the Bel Esprit with this constant aromatic signature. Wines with gourmet fruit and beautiful flavor, guaranteeing ancestral know-how and high quality standards from the vine to the press, until the wines are dressed.

The excellence of "hand-sewn" – As creators or artists cherish their works, Maison A.Chauvet respects and values ​​human work to the highest degree. By limiting the automation of its work to highlight only the human hand and gesture, the House is anchored in the Craft of Excellence. From pressing to riddling, each of the Cuvées is thus shaped in this perfect "hand-sewn spirit".

Blending, a family work: The blending of wines is a decisive step in the profession of artisan-winegrower. At Maison A.Chauvet, it is the result of a collective effort that must satisfy all members of the team. Directed by Jean François, Arnaud and Jacques, the assemblages are a real moment of reflection, sharing and pure creation. Throughout the year, each step that takes place upstream has been carefully thought out to best guide the work.

Vineyards: 8.69 hectares located in the east of Epernay in the Grande Montagne de Reims in Verzy (Grand Cru), Verzenay (Grand Cru), Bouzy (Grand Cru), Ambonnay (Grand Cru) and Bisseuil (Premier Cru).

Soil: Clay-limestone

Average age of vines: 60 years

Five exceptional terroirs, all located among the most prestigious vintages of Champagne, allow Maison A.Chauvet to develop its Champagnes in a "Bel Esprit". Seven plots, exclusively planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, offer, by virtue of their diversity, grapes with a singular character and very precise aromatic richness.

Without seeking to claim ownership, the management of the vineyard is carried out in a spirit of reasoned viticulture, which is halfway between organic viticulture and conventional viticulture. Throughout the year, from pruning to harvest, Arnaud Paillard-Chauvet adapts each of his practices to the typicity of each plot. The use of phytosanitary products has thus been reduced to its strict minimum, in favor of more natural and environmentally friendly practices such as grassing, tillage, and sexual confusion.

Anecdote of a plot "Les Tuilières", an atypical plot – located in Bisseuil, this 5.5 hectare plot, both planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, is the pride of the Paillard-Chauvet family. As beautiful as it is atypical, the land of the Tuilières is steeped in historical memory. Seen from the sky, we can see that some of the vines, more yellow, denote the rest of the vineyard. Probably once housing a tile oven, these few rows of vines bring real typicity to the House's wines and freshness to the blends. On this plot is a Loge de Vigne, a hut used to store equipment and shelter the winegrower and his horse during his breaks and during inclement weather.

Respecting one's land, knowing its virtues or even listening to its secrets allow the men of the House to be intimately connected to their vineyard. In order to be able to perpetuate its "Bel Esprit" signature year after year, the House has chosen to carry out plot vinification. Many vats preciously house the clear wines of the house which will then be blended to obtain its "hand-sewn" Champagnes with exceptional aromatic richness.

Annual production: 35,000 bottles
Vinification: plot to let the character of each plot express itself in its purest truth, then blended for optimal aromatic richness
Aging time: between 3 and 10 years depending on the profile of each wine
Dosage: all the House's wines are exclusively dosed in Brut