Champagne Dehours

A brief history of the estate

Nestled not far from the commune of Cerseuil, at the crossroads of the Marne Valley and the Flagot Valley. Continue 15 kilometers from Épernay on the left bank of the river, and you're bound to come across one of the 42 parcels, spread over the Mareuil le Port, Oeuilly and Troissy crus, that make up the estate.
Champagne Dehours is first and foremost the story of a man of character and his ancestors. When his father died, the family estate fell into the hands of financiers. Unthinkable for the youngest members of the family, Jérôme and his brother-in-law Jean-Marc Laisné decided to buy back the family estate. At first, there was little room for a Champagne Dehours: almost all the harvest was destined to be sold to the big houses.
But as time went on, Jérôme and Jean-Marc began to express their "winemaker's touch". This is the rebirth of Champagne Dehours.

A story of terroir and man

The Marne Valley is the kingdom of Pinot Meunier, a grape full of character whose red skin is covered with a white powdery film reminiscent of miller's flour. Soils of sand and clay on limestone layers, as well as the sunshine and gentle slope of the hillsides, make this a terroir of choice. The vineyard, planted with the three Champagne grape varieties, is certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (level 3) and managed using sustainable agriculture: natural grassing to combat erosion, no herbicides, natural disease control, etc. But it's the man who makes the difference. But it's man and his work that are at the heart of the approach, both in the vineyard and in the winery.

Minimal intervention in the cellar for maximum intensity in the glass

The harvest is a particularly important time: the grapes' ripeness and sugar levels must be optimal, as human intervention in the winery is reduced to a bare minimum. The idea is to let the terroir express itself as fully as possible.
In Champagne, the wines are made in two stages. First, we work on clear, bubble-free wines. Domaine Dehours was one of the first in the region to produce cuvées parcellaires, based on terroirs with the strongest character: Brisefer, Les Genevraux, or La Croix Joly. These wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels before secondary fermentation. Other wines are matured in stainless steel tanks, and all are aged on lees. The beauty of time is also expressed, as reserve wines are aged in solera.
Then the magic happens during the second fermentation in the bottle: the bubbles appear, the wine becomes Champagne. Dehours Champagne cuvées are all measured as Extra-Brut or Brut, i.e. their sugar content tends to be reduced depending on the cuvée, to best reveal the aromas of the grapes.
The signature of Dehours champagnes is therefore character and intensity, with a strong mark of terroir. They are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Of course, a festive aperitif remains the sacred place of Champagne, and Dehours champagnes will go very well with it too!