THE HOUSE
Terroir : Great Marne Valley
Cru : Hautvillers – 1er Cru
Vineyard area : 6 hectares – 21 plots
Grape varieties : 42% Chardonnay – 38% Meunier – 20% Pinot Noir
Champagne Fernand Lemaire is a member of the Fédération des Vignerons Indépendants de Champagne. The family oversees every stage of production, from vineyard management to marketing.
THE VINEYARD
The entire range is classified as 1er Cru from Hautvillers, with all plots originating from a single terroir.
The chalk-rich soils and sun-drenched hillside vineyards produce exceptional grapes from the three Champagne grape varieties. The vines are ploughed to preserve biodiversity, improve water absorption, and strengthen vine vitality.
The vineyards of Champagne Fernand Lemaire are managed sustainably, with environmental preservation and vineyard quality as the family’s priority.
The estate is certified “Haute Valeur Environnementale” (HVE).
IN THE WINERY
The grapes are pressed in a 2000kg vertical press dating from 1960. This allows us to select the musts with great precision. The winery is composed of small and medium-sized vats and barrels. Each cuvée is made from grapes from a single year. This choice was made by the family to highlight the aromatic particularities of the Hautvillers terroir. Each plot, each cuvée, is worked with particular care.
IN THE CELLAR
Ageing on the lees is done in bottles. The cuvées are stored in traditional cellars in Hautvillers.
Depending on the characteristics of each one, the ageing time varies from a minimum of 2 years to up to 10 years. Time is given for the aromas to develop and fully express the house style.
The riddling process is traditional, carried out by hand on racks or in cycams.
After disgorging, the bottles are left to rest for at a minimum 3 months before the labels are affixed. The grape blends are richly aromatic, and the Blanc de Blancs have the unique characteristics of the terroir.
DISTRIBUTION
Champagne Fernand Lemaire travels far beyond Hautviller’s borders. The family’s cuvées are available in France and internationally, including Italy, Japan, Finland, Austria, Denmark, the United States, and many other countries. For more information, please visit the Contact page.
HAUTVILLERS
Hautvillers is a picturesque little village in the southern part of the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park, in the Marne Valley.
The village is directly linked to the existence of the Abbey of Saint Pierre, founded in the 7th century. It was the home of a certain monk named Dom Pierre Pérignon.
His wisdom and learning led to his appointment as cellarer of the Abbey. He was an astonishingly modern figure, a visionary and a perfectionist.
He guided the winegrowers to develop the vineyards of Champagne. Around 1681, after years of research and experimentation, it was in Hautvillers that he mastered the first Champagne bubbles, giving the village its nickname of “the cradle of Champagne”.
Since July 4, 2015, the Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The wine-growing hillsides of Hautvillers are one of three such sites.
