Chapuy

Champagne Chapuy is a family estate in Oger, one of the six grand cru villages of the Côte des Blancs. The family has grown grapes there since the French Revolution. Chapuy only became a brand of its own later, though.

Family and generations

In 1952, Serge Chapuy, then mayor of Oger, began bottling champagne under his own name. He held office for a total of 18 years between 1965 and 1983. His son Arnold took over in 1981. In 2003 his daughter Elodie joined the estate. Aurore, the younger sister, has run the vineyard and winemaking since 2008. Elodie looks after administration and sales. The link with the village goes back a long way: according to the house, Guillaume Jean-Louis Chapuy was the first elected mayor of Oger, between 1798 and 1800.

Vineyard and approach

The figures given for the vineyard area vary. The current website states 9 hectares, while older texts from the house speak of 8 hectares, 3 of them in Oger. Chardonnay is at the heart of it all. The website describes all the vines as Chardonnay, which gives blanc de blancs. For the blended cuvées, Pinot Noir and Meunier are added as well: the Tradition Brut is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

In the vineyard, the house avoids herbicides, uses cover crops between the rows and encourages biodiversity. In 2017 it received HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certification. In the cellar, primary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The house style is fresh and elegant. To achieve it, wines that have and have not undergone malolactic fermentation are blended.

Cuvées and visiting

At the top sits the prestige cuvée Unique Oger Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature. Alongside it there are the Brut Tradition, the Brut Rosé, a Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru as a vintage brut, and the Cuvée Livrée Noire. At the Decanter World Wine Awards 2020, the Livrée Noire Brut Grand Cru won a silver medal with 91 points.

The house is located in the Zone d'activité Le Cep, 10 Rue de Champagne in Oger. Visitors report personal tours, with Elodie taking them through everything from grape to vintage champagne. According to the trade directory, enquiries can be made on 03 26 57 51 30.