Earl De La Terre Saudai

The house of Degenne-Squélart & Fils is based in Pévy, a small village in the Massif de Saint-Thierry. The Massif belongs to the Montagne & Val de Reims subregion. The legal company name is Earl de la Terre Saudai. On the labels and in the house's presentation, you will find the family name.

Family and vineyard

Christiane and Christian Degenne founded the estate in 1978. Their sons Jean-Philippe (since 2006) and Mathieu (since 2013) now work in the business. The second generation is therefore running the house together.

According to the house, the vineyard covers around 5.85 hectares on the slopes of Pévy. Older sources give about 5.5 hectares. All three classic champagne grapes are grown: Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Meunier also shapes the commune as a whole: of Pévy's roughly 92.6 hectares, it accounts for about 55 per cent of the planted area.

The champagnes

The range is broad for an estate of this size. The webshop lists, among others, 50 Nuances Glacées, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Cuvée de Réserve, Grande Réserve and Tradition Brut. There is also a rosé and, according to Vivino, an Extra Brut.

The Tradition Brut is a Meunier-led champagne. It is made up of 80 per cent Meunier, 10 per cent Pinot Noir and 10 per cent Chardonnay. Of this, 54 per cent is reserve wine, and the dosage is 11 grams. According to the website, the bottle costs 17.50 euros. That is a typical price for grower champagne bought at the estate.

Visiting

The house receives visitors directly in Pévy. You will find it at 13 Rue des Vignes, 51140 Pévy. You can reach it by telephone on +33 3 26 48 23 52. It is best to call ahead briefly before your visit. Pévy lies north of Reims, and a visit combines well with a tour through the lesser-known villages of the Massif de Saint-Thierry.