A 150-year-old history

Self-taught, Frédérique conscientiously noted down the precious secrets of her father, who passed away too soon. She joined the estate at the age of 21, with her mother quickly handing over the reins to her. She worked alongside her father for five years. Unfortunately, Michel died suddenly a month before the birth of her daughter Victoire, in 2005. Five years is a short time, but Frédérique took many notes on both vineyard management and winemaking. Her husband Hugues, also a winemaker and renowned for his expertise in viticulture, took over the management of the Duménil vineyard "on the fly" and in the middle of the season. By 2006, the old family home had become too small to accommodate both estates, so Frédérique and Hugues decided to build a new winery and transfer the press from Chigny-les-Roses to Sacy. Hugues left the cooperative and learned how to make wine alongside Frédérique. The complementary nature of their skills is their greatest strength. Both have invested heavily with innovations in the cellar and in the vineyard: a Coquart inclined plate press, a temperature-controlled winery, soil cultivation equipment, and more. The transfer of their facilities from Chigny to Sacy was a big step towards quality, ecology, and also greater working comfort for the team. In terms of quality, the new, larger cellars have made it possible to increase the ageing time of the bottles in the cellar and expand the collection of old vintages. The wine library collection is the pride of the family, renowned for the aging potential of its exceptional champagnes. "Tasting the old vintages takes me back to my childhood and allows me to write the future by creating champagnes that are faithful to the values that have been passed down to me... " This philosophy, which respects time, is expressed both in the wines and in the vineyards of the estate. The quest for balance between authenticity and modernity guides each of our projects. "I feel invested with a duty to pass on and preserve the memory of the work accomplished by my ancestors."

"As an artisan winemaker, my relationship with time is different. I have a very long-term vision for our vineyards and our wines... I feel invested with a duty to pass on and preserve the memory of the work accomplished by my ancestors. That is why I strive to enrich the estate's wine library collection. It is these exceptional vintages, true family treasures, which drive me to ever greater rigor and precision in the blends I create. Tasting these timeless bottles takes me back to my childhood, influences my vision of the vineyard of tomorrow, and inspires me in the creation of each of the vintages..."

A tireless worker, Michel started at the age of 14. 1996 was a pivotal year for the estate. Although 1996 is a great vintage after 15 years in the cellar, the acidity was too high for a non-vintage wine. My father took the risk of keeping the 1996 harvest in vats for a year in order to monitor the evolution of its liveliness. Fortunately, the 1997 harvest was fruity and delicious. He decided it would be a good idea to blend the 1996 and 1997 vintages to ensure a balance between roundness and freshness in the future. And so our Réserve was born... "the wine my father loved to share."

It was in the family grocery store that she discovered old bottles of champagne. (see historical inventory item) which inspired her unique vision as a champagne maker. A lover of vintage wines, she set about "taming" Meunier, the king of grape varieties in Chigny-les-Roses, in order to age it. But she still wondered how to increase the aging potential of her champagnes beyond the norm. Michel, her son, then suggested planting Chardonnay vines. In 1969, she embarked on this experiment. Michel, her son, then suggested planting Chardonnays... In 1969, she embarked on this experiment. If today we benefit from old Chardonnay vines, it is thanks to this pioneering spirit and visionary approach.

Emilie loves the Earth and People. His rustic appearance hides a great shyness and a beautiful generosity. He loves conviviality. The village café combines his three passions: nature, wine, and People.

At that time, winegrowers depended not only on nature but also on the goodwill of wine merchants. It was to feed his family that Elie began to sell his first bottles...