About us
Our Village
Venteuil is a small village located in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, a few kilometers from Epernay, in the Marne. Its 500 inhabitants are spread over the main village and two small hamlets, including Arty, located to the east.
The hillsides are facing south, which makes all the appeal of this country: the village has nearly 60 winemakers producers.
Spread over six hectares, our vineyards are located around Damery, Verneuil, Reuil and Venteuil.
We grow the three traditional local grape varieties: Pinot meunier, Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
History
Yersterday…
At the time of Louis XIV (the “Sun King”) Henri Mignon, born in Fleury la Rivière married Gabrielle in 1688, in Venteuil. He was 24 years old and she was 26. Henri was a winemaker, his descendants will follow his path…
In the early 1900s, the great grandparents will make their contribution to the family business. With Marcel first, born in 1907, fatherless at the age of 8, his mother Lucie will handle the vinesyards until he resumes the business with Simone, his wife. They sell their grapes at the price of 28 cent per kilogram (less than 0,50 euro). Later, their son Robert, with his wife Lucette, will decide to produce their own Champagne; triggering the mutation: from selling the grapes … to winemaking.
On their side, Alphonse & Renée, born respectively in 1912 and 1909 and from the hamlet of Tincourt in Venteuil, were married in 1935. They will create the first Champagne cooperative in the village: the “Coopérative Champenoise”, thanks to which vinemakers of the area will be able to produce the precious nectar. They will pass on their know-how to their son Michel and Bernadette, his wife.
… and today.
Maryse and Thierry then prospered the family business: here, seasonnal changes set the pace and traditions still run deep. Everything is done on spot, without intermediary: vineyard work, bottling, labeling …
Cédric their son, now at the head of the house, ensure the development of this quality Champagne.
Olivier, who has been employed in the house for 30 years, and his wife Karine, also contribute to this great success!
Style
Our style is authentic, family, and friendly! Our harvesters are regulars and friends, the good mood is as important as the quality of our champagne.
We are labelled “Growers and producers” : in other words, we grow, harvest, produce and market ourselves our Champagne. We do not buy grapes from other producers.
We use our traditionnal wooden press, a vertical push tray crushes the grapes placed in the round cage. The maize is fixed and the juices flow by the sides and the base through the “marc cake”. The “rolled up” (operation that consists in bringing back to the central part of the press, grapes less crushed) is done manually at the fork.
The juice obtained is then stored in our tanks for the first fermentation. This “alcoholic” fermentation activates the yeasts present in the grape juice and transforms sugars into a mixture of alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Then comes the blending: the different harvest years are mixed to obtain our different “cuvees”. This is our signature!
The obtained wines are then bottled and liqueur is added to start the secondary fermentation : wines rest and become sparkling. Our champagnes are aged between 15 months and 4 years depending on the cuvees.
Deposits will then be evacuated during the disgorgement and we add a dose of liqueur that will determine the type of champagne: raw or half-dry. Again, our liqueur is “homemade” (we do not buy it). It is made of still wine (not yet sparkling) and sugar, but proportions are our secret!
Then bottles will finally be corked and labeled… It is at last time for tasting!
If you wish to visit us, we will be happy to receive you in our tasting room. We will tell you the story of our family and you will enjoy the view on Boursault’s castle and on the vineyards between Venteuil and Damery …
Hope to meet you !
