Devaux

Devaux was founded in 1846 by the brothers Jules and Auguste Devaux, and not in the Côte des Bar. For a long time the house stood on the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. Later, three remarkable women ran the business. Jean-Pol Auguste Devaux, the last of his name and without heirs, entrusted the brand to the growers' group Union Auboise in 1987. Since then Devaux has been based in Bar-sur-Seine.

A brand owned by the growers of the Aube

Devaux is no longer a family business today. Several grower families stand behind the house, which belongs to the Union Auboise cooperative. More than 140 hectares of vines are worked. Gault&Millau gives 130 hectares, part of which is organically certified. The house now makes 11 cuvées, which are sold in 50 countries.

The wines

At the centre is the Pinot Noir of the Côte des Bar. This is shown by the blanc de noirs Cœur des Bar, made from 100 per cent Pinot Noir. Alongside it there is a blanc de blancs from 100 per cent Chardonnay. The Cuvée D belongs to the Collection D. It is a blend of 60 per cent Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar and 40 per cent Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montgueux. It ages for at least five years. A high proportion is made up of reserve wines, aged in oak foudres. The Classiques spend three years in the cellar, the Collection D five years. The Collection D also includes Ultra D, a cuvée with a lower dosage, and a D Rosé.

Visit and tasting

The house is based in an 18th-century manor, in a park on the Seine. There stands a rare 17th-century dovecote, listed in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques. In the greenhouse you can learn more about the appellation, and in the dovecote about how champagne is made. The tour is freely accessible. The boutique is open all year without an appointment, while tasting workshops are by arrangement. The themes range from champagne and chocolate to a tasting in a canoe on the Seine. The boutique also sells Rosé des Riceys and Coteaux Champenois. Please confirm opening hours and dates before your visit.