Damien Buffet

The champagne house of Damien-Buffet is a family business in Sacy, on the doorstep of Reims on the Montagne de Reims. The family has worked as winegrowers there since the 15th century. The estate has been passed down through the generations and combines inherited know-how with new techniques. On the house's own website Véronique and Henry Damien appear as hosts, while the regional wine directory names Véronique and Damien. The Damien and Boivin families work together on the farm.

Terroir and vineyards

Sacy is regarded as a Meunier village and is one of 44 communes in Champagne (out of 312) classified as Premier Cru. The vineyard lies between the villages of Villedommange and Écueil. All three grape varieties are planted on the estate. Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir are the focus, and both are bottled as single-variety wines, as is the Chardonnay. The vines are managed according to the principles of "viticulture raisonnée". The HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) and VDC (Viticulture Durable en Champagne) certifications were most recently in progress. We could not verify the vineyard acreage.

The champagnes

The house offers nine Premier Cru champagnes, some also in small bottles, as a Jeroboam and in the 3-litre format. The Brut Meunier is made entirely from Meunier and is meant to show the typicity of the terroir. The Brut Expression is considered the house's ambassador. It is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, enriched with reserve wines from several years. There is also a Ratafia de Champagne, an aperitif without bubbles.

“Capsule collectors will surely be pleased.Visiting and tastingThe house is at 12 Rue de Châtillon in Sacy.

The bottles carry one particular touch: the champagne capsules show 12 portraits of dogs, whippets, greyhounds and galgos, recalling the role these sighthounds have played in history. Capsule collectors will surely be pleased.

Abgang

Visiting and tasting

The house is at 12 Rue de Châtillon in Sacy. Reims is 8 km away, Épernay 20 km, and the Reims-Bezannes TGV station is only a few minutes off. They offer cellar and vineyard tours, tastings and a glimpse into the daily life of a wine estate. If you would like to stay longer, there are two guest rooms, including a family suite, with an aperitif tasting included. The house holds the "Vignobles & Découvertes" label. For opening hours, call +33 3 26 05 98 17. Booking ahead is therefore advisable.