Franck Debut

The house of Champagne Franck Debut is based in Hermonville, in the historic Massif de Saint-Thierry, ten kilometres north-west of Reims. It is a family estate that works as a Récoltant-Manipulant. That means the grapes come from the grower's own vineyards, and the champagnes are also made on the estate itself.

Sites and grape varieties

The estate covers just under 8 hectares, three quarters of which are on slopes. All the parcels face south and produce ripe grapes. The figures for the surface area vary between 7 and 8 hectares depending on the source. All three champagne grape varieties are grown. Pinot Meunier clearly has a larger share here than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. An older statement from the estate itself gives 50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The oldest vines are forty years old.

As for working methods, directories note viticulture raisonnée, that is, controlled crop protection adapted to what the vines actually need. There is no evidence of organic certification.

The cuvées

The range is broad. It runs from Brut Tradition, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé through a Demi-Sec to Brut Réserve, Brut Prestige and the Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Prestige and Vieilles Vignes are listed as vintage champagnes, currently 2015. For the Blanc de Blancs, the house uses only Chardonnay.

Visiting and tasting

Hermonville is an old wine village. Since the 12th and 13th centuries, the wines of the commune were known as "mountain wines" and were famous well beyond Champagne. If you would like to visit the estate, you can book in advance: visits are possible daily from 9am to 7pm by appointment. Guided visits are offered for individual guests, in French and English. The champagnes can also be ordered online through the house's website.

• Address: Rue des Grattières, 51220 Hermonville
• Telephone: +33 3 26 61 52 74
• Visits: daily 9am to 7pm, by appointment only