Soutiran

After a military career that began in 1936, Gérard SOUTIRAN returned to viticulture, the profession he had learned in his youth. He takes over the vines from his former tutor and consolidates his exploitation thanks to the vineyard of his wife Solange.

So in the 1950s, he was the first to put the name SOUTIRAN on a bottle of champagne.

In 1969, Alain, the eldest of Gérard's 4 children, created his own structure with his wife Roselyne. They strive to develop their operation and create their range of champagne under the name SOUTIRAN PELLETIER.

In 1989, after studying business, Valérie, Alain's eldest daughter, joined the family business. She takes over management and develops commercial activity. The brand will become “SOUTIRAN champagne” to facilitate its approach to the export markets.

In 1999, Patrick Renaux, Valérie's husband, also joined the company. He initially performed commercial functions and then took over the production and elaboration of the wines over the years.

Our family house works 6 ha of vines, the majority of which are found on the Ambonnay terroir. A few 1er cru plots in the towns of Trépail, Chigny les Roses, Ludes and Chamery allow the estate's first vintage to be produced. This production is supplemented by purchases of grapes from our immediate environment, part of the vines of which are cultivated by us.

The vines are cultivated in sustainable cultivation for the sake of sustainable viticulture.

Following the soil analyzes, contributions are made only with organic fertilizers on the deficient plots.

Tillage limits the use of weedkillers.

The vineyard is protected by sexual confusion avoiding the use of insecticides.

About thirty plots are harvested manually over a period of around 10 days.

After pressing on a 4000kg membrane press, the juices undergo their alcoholic and malolactic fermentation at a regulated temperature. Oak barrels complete the stainless steel vats providing an additional aromatic palette.

Wines fermented in barrels are kept on lees without racking until blending. A more or less long batonnage according to the profile of the years is carried out.

Before bottling, the wines are stabilized by cold and filtered with clay.

Once bottled, the cuvées rest on lattes between 5 and 8 years before disgorging.

The dosage is redefined annually for each of the cuvées by laboratory tests, followed by blind tasting. The harmony and balance of the wine are the elements sought by the tasting committee.

Following disgorging, the cuvées rest on average 6 months before labeling and marketing. This rest period guarantees the homogeneity of the wine.

Time is one of the most important raw materials ...

5 to 8 years of patience are necessary to develop our cuvées and bring them to maturity. Far beyond conventional practices, this long rest in our cellars reveals the structure of the wines, refines the effervescence, contributes to their complexity.

This complexity also comes from the assembly of a wide aromatic palette resulting from winemaking in wood and stainless steel and the special attention paid to reserve wines.

The finest plots are vinified in Burgundy oak barrels, providing an additional organoleptic profile during blending. These wines enrich the most noble cuvées of the House.

A real estate treasure, the reserve wines guarantee the continuity of the style of the cuvées. Always of very high quality, the wines chosen are kept in large volume stainless steel vats, thus preserving their freshness over time. Through a system of perpetual rejuvenation, many years of harvest are accumulated in the same tank. The richness of old wines mingles with the tonicity of the wines of the year.

From this know-how are born rich and distinguished vintages in which the terroir is expressed in filigree.

On tasting, the nose is expressive, asserting itself with intensity. On the palate, the champagnes are fleshy, dense, with an often creamy texture underlined by a saline minerality from our chalky soils.