Etienne Oudart

Brugny lies on the southern slopes above Épernay and has been the birthplace of Domaine Étienne Oudart since 1958. The family's roots go back further: Étienne's grandparents bought a farm with land at the start of the 19th century, and in 1958 Étienne planted his first vines on about one hectare of it. He bought further plots bit by bit, and together with his wife Juliana he created the Étienne Oudart brand.

Family and vineyards

In 1988 their son Jacques joined the business as head of viticulture, and in 2006 he took over the family company. Today he runs the domaine together with his wife Karinne. The family's holdings cover just under 9 hectares in 17 plots around Brugny, Vinay and Essômes-sur-Marne. The grapes grown are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The family believe in old vines with deep roots.

In 2015 the house committed itself to a thoroughgoing environmental course, which was rewarded in 2018 with dual certification: "Viticulture Durable en Champagne" and "Haute Valeur Environnementale". Vinification is traditional, in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

The cuvées

The range is broad. The wines include:

• Brut Origine: 25% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, 60% Pinot Meunier.
• Brut Référence: one third each of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.
• Brut Rosé Référence and Extra Brut
• Chardonnay Millésimé: the 2016 vintage comes from a sandy, south-facing terroir.
• Cuvée Juliana: the 2011 vintage (L'Instant Velours) is made up of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.
• Brut Nature with no added sulphites: the current 2020 vintage was aged in stainless steel tank.

Visits and tastings

Karinne and Jacques welcome guests for tastings, where they share the pleasures of the winegrower's craft with family or friends. Visits are possible by appointment, by email to contact@champagne-oudart.com or by phone on 03 26 59 98 01. If you would like to stay longer, the Manoir des Arômes also has guest rooms.