Champagne Dehours
“For me, Meunier is the identity of the domaine”
- Jerome Dehours
“Practice makes perfect ... My grand-father founded the
estate in 1930 and passed it on to my father a few decades
later... My father extended it and even if life did not give
him time to teach me the craft, he prepared me for it...
I have a few beliefs : the respect of natural elements and
their expression, theimportance of « detail ». History and
passionate commitment give a soul to the wine… The
manner matters as much as the result.”
- Jerome Dehours
Background
Jerome Dehours took control of his family estate, that was founded by his
grandfather Ludovic in 1930, in 1996 with a focus on sustainable viticulture
and an emphasis on expressing the character of individual terroirs.
The estate is comprised of 42 parcels in the villages of Cerseuil, Mareuil-lePort, Troissy and Oeuilly at the intersection of two valleys, the Marne and the
Flagot. The sites are predominantly north facing which Jerome believes is
optimal for Pinot Meunier, which comprises majority of the estate's plantings,
at 60 percent, with 30 percent Chardonnay, and 10 percent Pinot Noir. HIs
extensive vineyard holdings allow Jerome a large array from which to choose
as he vinifies only a strict selection of the highest quality under his own name
and sells the balance. To that end, he has three traditional Coquard vertical
presses in his cellar that allow him to press each of his individual parcels
separately. While the estate is registered as a négociant-manipulant, no
grapes are purchased, and all of the wines are entirely estate-grown.
In the cellar, Jerome vinfies in both stainless stell and used French oak barrels
of all ages and sizes from 205 to 500 liters. He used to try to block malolactic
fermentation but after determining that many of wines were going through the
process after bottling he decided to let the process occur naturally to allow him
to decrease the ammount of required sulfur additions.
Vallée de la Marne
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Grape Varieties: 63% Pinot Meunier, 27% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay
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Soil: limestone, clay, marl, sand, flint
• The upward thrust of the Alps combined with the sinking of the Paris
basin caused the layer of chalk to be pushed further underground in
La Vallée de La Marne to the west resulting in more clay, sand, and
rocks
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Grand Cru Villages: Aÿ, Tours-sur-Marne
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Geography:
• from west of Château-Thierry east to Épernay
• divides the Montagne de Reims from the Côte des Blancs
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Viticulture
• Pinot Meunier dominates this frost prone region because it is a late
budding and early ripening
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Leading Grower Producers
• Jacquesson, Gaston Chiquet, Philipponat, Henri Goutorbe, Rene
Geoffrey
Champagne
Dehours
Champagne
Dehours
Genevraux
La Croix Joly
Brissefer
La Côte en
Bosses
Pinot Meunier
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Clone of Pinot Noir
Derives its name from the downy white fuzz found on its leaves
• in French, meunier means "miller“since the can leaves appear as if
they were dusted with flour
Leaves with deep indentations compared with Pinot Noir
Clusters are usually smaller and rounder than Pinot Noir
Late budding and early ripening
Heartier than Chardonnay or Pinot Noir
• able to generate a second crop of buds
Thrives in clay soils
Generally higher in acid and lower in pigment than Pinot Noir
Offers more forward and ample fruit flavors in its youth
• Varietal aromas range from bread dough or baked apple with red-fruit
notes of plums or cherries to citrus with orange or grapefruit to
tropical
Mostly planted in Vallée de la Marne & Western Montagne de Reims
Not permitted the designation of grand cru
Key Facts
Year Founded: 1930
Proprietor: Jerome Dehours
Winemaker: Jerome Dehours
Vineyard Area: 14 hectares
Annual Production: 80,000 bottles
Varieties Cultivated: Pinot Meunier (60%), Chardonnay (10%),
Pinot Noir (10%)
Cuvées
Grande Réserve Brut NV
Les Vignes de la Vallée NV
Rose Oeil de Perdrix Millésimé
Blanc de Meunier Millésimé
Trio “S” NV
Single Lieu-Dit Cuvées
“La Côte en Bosses” Millésimé
“Genevraux” Millésimé
“Brissefer” Millésimé
“La Croix Joly” Millésimé
Grande Reserve Brut
Cuvée:
60% Pinot Meunier
30% Chardonnay
10% Pinot Noir
26% Réserve wine from a Solera started in 1988
Fermentation: stainless steel
Malolactic: full
Sur-Lie Aging: two years years
Dosage: 6 g/L
Les Vignes de la Vallée Brut
Cuvée:
75% Pinot Meunier
19% Chardonnay,
6% Pinot Noir
22% Réserve wine from a Solera started in 1988
Fermentation: stainless steel
Malolactic: blocked for the young wines,
full for the reserve wines
Sur-Lie Aging: four years
Dosage: 6 g/L
Rose Oeil de Perdrix Brut 2007
Cuvée:
55% Pinot Meunier
45% Old-Vine Chardonnay
Fermenation: Duchêne barriques
Malolactic Fermentation: blocked
Sur-Lie Aging: four years
Dosage: 2 g/L
Total Production: 3580 bottles
The name "Œil de perdrix" means "eye of partridge" in
reference to the pale pink color of the eye of a
partridge just after being shot and was an old term for
very pale rosé wine resulting from minimal (possibly
accidental) skin contact. The term virtually
disappeared in France but has remained in use in
Neuchâtel in Switzerland.
Trio « S » Extra Brut
Cuvée: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Réserve Perpétuelle
Jerome started this solera in 1998 and first removed
wine in 2005 - each year a third of the Solera is
bottled and the Solera is replaced with the new
harvest
COLLECTION CUVÉES
“In keeping with the terroir bestowed upon us by our ancestors,
we present a collection of champagnes and wines which are
always vintages. These vintages are unique and cannot be
reproduced. These champagnes are matured in oak casks. The
theme is that they are unique, coming from exclusive plots or
varietal grapes.”
- Jerome Dehours
Blanc de Meunier Extra Brut 2007
Cuvée: 100% Pinot Meunier
Fermentation: in barrel
Sur-Lie Aging: four years
Dosage: 3 g/L
Total Production: 4167 bottles
“La Côte en Bosses” Extra Brut 2005
Cuvée: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Lieu Dit: La Côte en Bosses in Mareuil-Le-Port
Fermentation: barrels
Sur-Lie Aging:: six years
Dosage: 2 g/L
Total Production: 2402 bottles
La Côte en Bosses is a very old parcel situated
overlooking the village of Mareuil-Le-Port, at the
bottom of the slope.
“Brisefer” Extra Brut 2005
Cuvée: 100% Old Vine Chardonnay
Lieu-dit: Brisefer – 1.3 ha in Mareuil le Port
Fermentation: barrel
Sur-Lie Aging: six years
Total Production: 1832 bottles
"The principal difference between Brisefer and
the other vineyards is the acidity of the soil there's much less chalk in this parcel - so
Brisefer has a minerality that's almost salty.“
–Jerome Dehours.
A slightly southeast-facing parcel of
Chardonnay planted in 1966, Brisefer lies on
clay soils at the base of the slope.
“Genevraux” Extra Brut 2006
Cuvée: 100% Old Vine Pinot Meunier
Lieu-dit: Genevraux - .3 ha in Troissy
Fermentation: barrel
Sur-Lie Aging: six years
Dosage: 4 g/L
Total Production: 2389 bottles
Genevraux is a relatively flat, sloping vineyard just
slightly to the northwest,and the stony, sandy-clay
studded tuffeau soils here provide excellent drainage.
It is planted entirely with Pinot Meunier and was planted
in 1979.
“La Croix Joly” Extra Brut 2005
LA CROIX JOLY
Cuvée: 100% Old Vine Pinot Meunier
Lieu-dit: La Croix Joly in Troissy
Fermentation: barrel
Sur-Lie Aging: six years
Dosage: 4 g/L
Total Production: 600 magnums
"Croix Joly is the most influenced by sunthere's more afternoon sun here, while Les
Genevraux has a little more morning sun."
-Jerome Dehours
The exposition of Croix Joly is more westerly,
and this parcel is slightly warmer then
Genevraux. La Croix Joly planted with 40 to 50
year old Pinot Meunier vines.