Delouvin Nowack

Family and history

The Delouvin and Nowack families are firmly rooted in Vandières in the Marne valley. They have always worked in Champagne viticulture, moving between the trades of grower and cooper. The Guide Hachette lists the Delouvins in Vandières as growers or coopers as far back as the 16th century. The first bottles of Georges Delouvin were made in the 1930s. Shortly after their marriage, Éliane Nowack and Pierre Delouvin founded Champagne Delouvin-Nowack in 1949, with vines brought in by both families.

From 1976 their son Bertrand Delouvin ran the estate. He introduced new equipment, longer ageing times and the solera method for the reserve wines. Geoffrey Delouvin has worked at the estate since 2011. He carries on the classic cuvées and adds wines with a character of their own.

Vineyard and methods

The 7.25 hectares lie entirely within the cru of Vandières. Only the estate's own grapes are used, and nothing is bought in. The 36 parcels, mostly old vines, sit on slopes facing south to south-east. The soils are a mosaic of clay-limestone, chalk, sand and clay. Meunier dominates. Some parcels are planted with Chardonnay, and three more with a mixed planting of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Petit Meslier.

The estate uses neither herbicides nor insecticides. The soil is only worked on the surface, with spontaneous natural cover crops growing between the rows. The juices are vinified separately by quality, grape variety and parcel.

The wines

The cellar makes two ranges. Delouvin Nowack stands for the more classic champagnes, Famille Delouvin for parcel-specific wines with a Burgundian stamp. It is no longer a pure Meunier house throughout: the Carte d'Or is a blanc de noirs from Pinot Meunier. The Cuvée Fauve is 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier from a chalk parcel in Vandières. The Meunier Perpétuel is an extra brut made from 100% Meunier, drawn from a solera running from 1992 to 2020. The Sauvage is a pure Meunier from three parcels in Vandières, with no dosage. Gault&Millau rated Semper Fidelis 93 out of 100 points.

For visits and tastings, it is best to contact the estate directly: 29 Rue Principale, 51700 Vandières, telephone +33 (0)3 2658 0270.