Charles Lafitte

Vranken-Pommery Monopole was founded in 1976 by Paul-François Vranken. Thanks to this man's vision and his passion for great French winemaking, our company has grown over the years and is now made up of a collection of exceptional vineyards totalling more than 2,500 hectares, in Champagne, France; the Douro Valley of Portugal; and the Mediterranean region.

Over the years, Vranken has joined together with three other Champagne houses, Pommer...

Calcareous soil, a significant storehouse of heat, and the climate, alternating between the gentle Atlantic and rugged Continent are what make for unique Champagne wine-growing territory.

The vines are tended throughout the year, and, as winter draws to a close, the plants are pruned, and only the most promising shoots are left to grow. These branches are guided so that the sun can reach the grapes and help them grow to full ripeness.

Charles Lafitte does everything it can to keep the grapes intact until they are pressed. To minimize the time and distance from vine to press, the house's presses are located in Tours sur Marne, Saudoy and Merrey sur Arce.
Grapes from the Aube, the Sézannais, and the Marne Valley are pressed on site in the vineyard, and the settled musts are transported to our fermenting rooms.
Pressing is done immediately, at a gentle, gradual pace. It is d...

After George Goulet founded his company in 1834, Jean-Baptiste Lafitte had his ‘Belle Idée’ in Cognac in 1848. The Charles Lafitte & Cie brand quickly became a reference in the world of wines and spirits, and it saw a golden age in the Roaring Twenties.

Many champagne producers bought cognac spirit from Charles Lafitte & Cie, to use in their liqueurs d’expédition, the sweetened reserve wine added to champagne in the dosage process. In 1983,...