Napoleon

From Prieur to Napoléon

The story of the house begins in 1825, when Jean-Louis Prieur of Mailly moved to Vertus with his wife Marie-Reine. There, at just 26, he set up on his own as a wine merchant. The house later took the name Ch. & A. Prieur, after his sons Charles and Alphrède. The Guide Hachette gives the second son's name as Alphonse. The Napoléon brand was registered in 1907 on the advice of the Russian importer.

Today the house is no longer in family hands. The La Goutte d'Or cooperative of Vertus bought Maison Prieur in 2005. For the brand, the Guide Hachette lists 120 hectares of vines.

Style and cuvées

The house says it works with the best Chardonnays of the Côte des Blancs and the Pinots noirs of the Montagne de Reims. In the Brut Tradition, Pinot noir and Chardonnay are blended in equal parts. According to the Guide Hachette, this cuvée aged for four years on the bottle. That is far beyond what the appellation requires.

The range is compact: Tradition Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Rosé and Millésime 2004. The Rosé is built on the Brut Tradition. As for the vintage wine, only the best years are selected for the vintage cuvées. The house describes the Millésime 2004 as fresh and complex, with a saline finish.

Oenothèque and contact

For collectors there is the Oenothèque. The house offers a few bottles of very old vintages there, in strictly limited quantities. You will find the house at 30 Rue du Général Leclerc, 51130 Vertus, telephone +33 3 26 52 11 74. If you would like to visit or taste, it is best to ask directly beforehand. We have not found any information on opening hours.