Jean-Michel Bouchet & Filles

Sarcy is a small village in the Marne département, in the arrondissement of Reims, with around 270 inhabitants. Here, in the Ardre valley, you will find the estate of Jean-Michel Bouchet & Filles. The area takes its name from the little river that runs alongside and beneath some of the vineyards.

Four generations of Bouchets

The family gives 1920 as the year the house was founded. Charles Bouchet inherited a piece of vineyard from his family at that time and passed it on to his son Serge. Serge expanded the estate together with his son Jean Michel, who sold the first bottles under his own name in the 1970s. With Sophie Bouchet, the fourth generation has joined the business. She now also runs the company, which was registered as an agricultural company on 1 April 2009. The family home and the tasting cellar, built from champagne limestone, were rebuilt in 1920, after the First World War.

Vineyards and grape varieties

According to the house, the family works around 40 plots, mostly on the slopes. The vineyards are planted 70% with Meunier, plus 15% each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The high proportion of Meunier shapes the style: the house describes its champagnes as round, fruity on the attack and growing finer on the finish. The estate is classified as a Récoltant-Coopérateur.

Cuvées, visits and tasting

According to the growers' directory, the range includes the following, among others:

• Tradition (Blanc de Noirs), Sélection, Rosé d'Assemblage, Grande Réserve
• Brut de Brut (Extra Brut) and Blanc de Blancs
• Millésime 2011

The Tradition is made from equal parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and ages for three years in the cellar before it is released.

Visitors are welcome: the house receives guests in Sarcy all year round. Tours and tastings are available on request, for up to 15 people and lasting about 60 minutes. Address: 1 Impasse des Voisins, 51170 Sarcy. Telephone: 03 26 61 86 33.