Gerard Dubois

Gérard Dubois's house sits in the heart of Avize, a grand cru village on the Côte des Blancs. It is a small récoltant-manipulant: the grapes come from the family's own vineyards, and the wine is pressed and vinified on the estate. One merchant puts annual production at around 10,000 bottles.

One family, three generations

It all begins with Paul Dubois, a survivor of the First World War and coachman to a château owner in Avize. He set up on his own and used horse-drawn carts to deliver vins clairs to the merchants. To feed his animals he bought land around Avize. The Guide Hachette dates the vineyard to 1920, while other sources place the start of the champagne story in 1930. Paul was followed by his son Jean and finally by his grandson Gérard, who according to the Guide Hachette joined the family estate in 1970. According to the house, the buildings and cellars go back to 1820.

Vineyards and way of working

The estate farms 6 hectares:

• 3.30 hectares of Chardonnay in Avize, Oger and Cramant
• 1.80 hectares of Pinot Meunier in the Marne valley
• 1 hectare of Pinot Noir in the Aube department

The family does the vineyard work itself. Seasonal pickers come in only for the harvest. After pressing at the estate, the must ferments in the cuverie, and according to merchants the first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The blanc de blancs cuvées are made without malolactic fermentation. In spring the wine goes into bottle for its second fermentation and then ages for several years. Riddling is done according to sales demand. A prestige blanc de blancs is aged under natural cork.

Cuvées, visits and tastings

According to Wine-Searcher, the range includes a Tradition Brut, a Réserve Blanc de Blancs, a Cuvée Spéciale, a Brut Rosé and the Prestige Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru as a vintage cuvée. The Guide Hachette gave the Prestige Tradition 2000 three stars. It describes it as a Chardonnay made without malolactic fermentation, pale gold in colour, with a long, elegant finish.

Visits and tastings are possible by prior appointment: 67 Rue Ernest Vallé, 51190 Avize, telephone +33 3 26 57 58 60.