Demilly De Baere

Gérard and Françoise Demilly founded their champagne house in the Côte des Bar in 1978, on the grounds of an old castle. Gérard comes from a family that has lived in Bligny since 1624. The couple work as récoltant-manipulant: the grapes are vinified in their own house, blended into the cuvée and sold under their own label. The second generation is also part of the business: their son Vincent, an oenologist, previously gained experience in Australia and California.

The place: castle, glassworks, Cistercian cellar

The cellar stands on the family estate, where the castle of Jean Baron de Bligny once stood. It was replaced by a glassworks, founded in 1778 by the Marquis de Sauveboeuf. That is why the estate is called the Domaine de la Verrerie. Gérard shows guests around the tasting cellar, built in the style of Bernard of Clairvaux, and has restored the vaults on pillars in the Cistercian manner. The estate extends down to the Landion, a fairly large stream that runs through Bligny.

Vineyards and cuvées

The vineyard covers 8 hectares, which the couple acquired in 1978. Alongside the three classic Champagne varieties there is the rare Pinot Blanc. It goes into the Cuvée Rare Blanc de Blancs, for example, a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. The Cuvée Carte d'Or is made from four grape varieties. The range also includes a blanc de noirs, a rosé and a Brut Zéro. Other cuvées are Or Extra Brut and Cuvée Pure. The Fauchon Cuvée La Grande Histoire won silver at the IWSC in 2021. Besides the Demilly de Baere name, there is a second label, Madame de Sainte-Maure. Around 40 per cent of production goes for export.

Visiting and tasting

The house welcomes visitors from Monday to Friday, 2 pm to 6 pm, and outside these hours by appointment. Cellar tours and tastings are offered, and German is spoken. The guided tour costs 5 euros for individual visitors. Address: Domaine de la Verrerie, Rue du Château, 10200 Bligny.