Pierre Bertrand

From Louis Dupont to Pierre Bertrand

Pierre Bertrand began an apprenticeship with a winemaker at the age of twelve. In 1944 he took over the business from Louis Dupont, a member of the Résistance who was deported during the Second World War and never returned. The address of the house in Cumières, the Rue Louis Dupont, still bears his name today. Little by little, Bertrand built up his own estate alongside. The champagne house counts 1946 as its founding year.

In the 1950s he expanded the property and bought 200-year-old cellars, where everything had to be rebuilt from scratch. He created an operation that let him work independently from production through to sale. He passed his passion on to nine children. His daughter Thérèse took over in 1982, followed by his grandson Bertrand in 2010. Bertrand Deparnay now runs the estate as managing director.

Vineyards and methods

Cumières is a Premier Cru of the Grande Vallée de la Marne and is known for early ripening. This is traditionally where the first cuts of the harvest are made. The house lies two kilometres from the Abbey of Hautvillers, where Dom Pérignon lived. The vines stand in Damery, Cumières and Hautvillers, all south-facing, as well as in Mardeuil on a west-facing slope. No plot is more than three kilometres from the estate. The current Hachette guide gives around 6 hectares, while earlier sources spoke of more than 7 hectares. The grapes grown are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

“His daughter Thérèse took over in 1982, followed by his grandson Bertrand in 2010.

Farming has changed under Bertrand Deparnay. His aim is to keep inputs to a minimum: half of the rows between the vines are sown with cover crops, the soil under the vines is worked, the pruning wood is chipped, and no herbicides are used. According to one directory, certification as Haute Valeur Environnementale is under way. An organic label is not documented in the sources.

Bergères-lès-Vertus

Cuvées and visiting

The range includes Tradition Brut, Premier Cru Brut, a Rosé Premier Cru, a Blanc de Blancs 2012 and the Prestige 2013. There is also a line under the name Emmanuel Soullié, made without dosage, with a Blanc de Blancs, a Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir and Meunier, and a Rosé de Saignée. The Prestige 2014 is half Chardonnay and half Pinot Noir.

As a Récoltant-Manipulant, the house sells directly from the estate. Directories list daily opening hours from 8am to 6pm. It is still wise to book by phone on +33 3 26 54 08 24.