Champagne Augustin
When the paths of Emmanuelle and Marc crossed, two champagne houses that had existed for four and five generations respectively came together. It was a union that gave birth to a shared passion: Champagne Augustin.
Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin refer to themselves as "coeurviticulteurs", loosely translated as "winemakers with heart". They have dedicated themselves to their work with their hearts and minds, cultivating their vines using biodynamic methods involving empathy and sensitive, constant observation of nature.
Sparkling wines from Champagne Augustin
from Champagne Augustin
In vineyards each individual plot of land has its own characteristics. As a result standardised actions have no place in the Augustins' daily operations. They live with nature, taking the time to understand it better. The vineyards are located in the commune of Avenay Val d'Or, east of Epernay on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims where Pinot Noir is the predominant varietal, and on Vertus, some 22 kilometres further south in the Côte des Blancs, where Chardonnay reigns supreme. Both of these regions have Premier Cru status. The winery has been Demeter-certified since 2016.
They are fortunate to own land that has hardly come into contact with chemicals, because as far back as the 1970s and later Marc's father already refused to apply the fertilisers and herbicides that were used ubiquitously. Marc and Emmanuelle therefore had the best fundamental conditions for switching to biodynamic agriculture, especially as this philosophy deeply corresponds to their own inclinations and convictions.
The result is exceptional champagnes. For example, the grapes are harvested by hand on so-called 'fruit' or 'flower' days, which are determined by the lunar cycle. In the cellar, Marc leaves the process to alchemy. At most he provides the vessel: instead of the usual cold, hard Inox steel he uses enamelled tanks, amphorae or barrels made of local wood. Every action, whether in the house, in the vineyard or in the cellar is intended to be a positive one that leads to harmony and balance throughout the production operations and in the final product.
Producer
Dirk van der Niepoort
Dirk van der Niepoort - great ambassador of the fantastic wines from the Douro Valley, is also active and creative in other Portuguese wine regions. His dream has long been to make wines in the microclimates of the Alentejo and Dãoos. The talented self-made winemaker, who likes to wear a hat, found what he was looking for and his crazy idea in these crazy times took shape in the form of Crazy Hatter wines.
Château Biac
Sometimes life is full of surprises. The Lebanese Asseily family experienced this first-hand when they became the owners of Château Biac as if by accident in 2006. They regularly spent their summer holidays near Biac, but never would they have dreamt that they would own and manage this wonderful property themselves one day. It’s a fascinating story that Tony and Youmna Asseily are happy to share over a glass of their wine.
