TRADITIONAL WINEGROWERS
The house that now houses Champagnes JL Vergnon has been in our family for five generations, or nearly two centuries. It was first the headquarters of the Regnault frères house, wine and spirits merchants. In the following century, Jean-Louis inherited it from his parents.
In 1950, he recreated the vineyard on the hillsides of the Côte des Blancs, in Mesnil sur Oger. A cooperative member from the start, he decided after a few years to produce his own Champagnes, pure Chardonnay, out of a passion for working from the grape to the wine. A philosophy would guide him: to produce exceptional wines from his exceptional vines. His ardour would be curbed by the sudden death in 1977 of his eldest son, Bruno, who was set to succeed him.
It was not until 1985 that he produced his first wines, which were immediately noticed and distinguished by a “Coup de Cœur” from the Hachette Wine Guide two years later for his first Extra-Brut.
Gone too soon in 1989, his example still serves us as a model today. Our champagnes, from the vineyard, are produced in our house in Mesnil sur Oger with the concern for tradition perpetuated thanks to the know-how he bequeathed to us. His wife, Monique and the youngest of their children, Alain will continue this implementation.
At the head of the Estate since 1999, Didier Vergnon continues with ardor on this path that he traced with the same love of a job well done. Surrounded by a loyal and experienced team, a new generation joins the estate to perpetuate this legacy. Clement, the third generation, and Julian Goût, oenologist.
VINEYARD
The estate extends over several terroirs to offer you unique and typical vintages of our house. We take care to work each plot to select the best combination of our vineyard. Mono-cru, plot, blend…
Most of our vineyard is located in the commune of Mesnil sur Oger, classified as Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs. Renowned for the excellence of its vines, this village only grows the Chardonnay grape variety, which gives its wines finesse and elegance. We also benefit from vines in the terroirs of Oger and Avize, Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs.
To complete our estate, part of the vineyard is planted in Premier Cru, in the neighboring villages of Vertus and Villeneuve.
In the JL Vergnon estate, we only cultivate Chardonnay by blending around twenty plots. Planted mainly with old vines, with varied exposures and an average age of over thirty years, they allow us to obtain this regularity in our Champagnes.
With the desire to preserve nature and the environment, we work with sustainable viticulture in our vineyard. Herbicides have not been used for about fifteen years, the grass is left free in the plots, treatments are limited. To promote this approach, we have obtained the HVE 3 (High Environmental Value) label.
PHILOSOPHY
“Our qualitative and reasoned approach to soil cultivation, avoiding as much as possible the use of pesticide products in the maintenance of the vineyard, thoughtful pruning and contained and qualitative grassing of the vines, permanent monitoring naturally leads us to lower yields.
We then ensure that our grapes reach maximum and ideal maturity at harvest time. This approach will lead us to produce wines that are balanced in vinosity and finesse.
With this simple, natural vinification and a malolactic fermentation carefully avoided to release the fruity power of the wine, we also give it a great capacity for aging as well as a beautiful length in the mouth preceded by a frank attack.”
CELLARS
“During the harvest, which is exclusively manual, we press the grapes the same day using a traditional vertical press. After settling, the different musts are distributed between our stainless steel vats and oak barrels.
It is from this moment and after a long period of attention, care and patience in our vat room, that we will conduct the second fermentation in the bottle and let them age in our cellars, for at least three years.”
Then comes the time for disgorging. A minimum dosage, between 0 for Brut Nature and 5 g./l for Brut, gives them the true expression of this typicality specific to the terroir, with this liveliness, this nervousness and the incomparable finesse of Chardonnay.
The bottles will wait several more months, or even several years in the cool of the cellars, before being dressed, ready to be shipped.
