From our supplier: Located in the small village of Moussy, just six kilometers south of Epernay, Brigitte Pinot and Didier Chevauchet of Champagne Pinot-Chevauchet meticulously work 27 parcels of vines spread over a mere 3.7 hectares to produce 3000 cases in the little-known region of Coteaux Sud d'Epernay. The region, sandwiched between its more famous neighbors, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs has the clay marl soils typical of the Marne but with a thicker chalk layer emblematic of the Côte des Blancs.

Wine writer Peter Liem dedicates a section in his book, 'Champagne', to the Coteaux sud d'Epernay. Titling it 'Between two Giants', he argues that it's this geologic complexity and gradient of soil types, from clay-marl to flinty-chalk, that produces a singular style unique to this region. Pinot-Chevauchet's wines are characteristic of this, with a tension between body and finesse, a balance between Meunier and Chardonnay, and an engaging complexity that swings between chalky, oyster-shell notes and broad fruity characteristics. The house has some notable neighbors too. This area is home to Laherte Frères, Jean-Marc Sélèque, and Meunier master José Michel of the now defunct Champagne Bruno Michel.

Brigitte's family had been producing Champagne for three generations, under the name Champagne Pinot but it was after her marriage to Didier just over 30 years ago, and the addition of her brother's vineyards, that the husband and wife assumed a hyphenated name for the Champagne house and changed gears in the cellar and vineyards. Didier immediately set about converting the vineyards to organics, creating a set of reserve wines in the cellar, and pursuing an elevated, extended lees-aged style of winemaking. Now certified as High Environmental Value (HEV), the estate is practicing organic. Vineyard plantings are 50% Meunier, 45% Chardonnay, and 5% Pinot Noir. (Pinot-Chevauchet is listed as RC of Récoltant-Coopérateur because they do not own a press due to space constrictions. Didier books time at the local cooperative in Pierry where they have a Coquard press. The pressed juice is then returned to the Domaine where the elevage is completed.

Pinot-Chevauchet's vineyards are spread between the villages of Pierry and Moussy, with most of their Chardonnay vines in the 1er Cru village of Pierry, which is located a mere 10km from the iconic Côte des Blancs Grand Cru villages of Avize and Cramant. In Moussy, where vineyards continue along the same hillside as Pierry, Meunier dominates on the clay-marl soils. Ripening slightly earlier than Meunier from further north and West in the Marne, the Pinot-Chevauchet Meunier has a lighter touch, more mineral-laced and crystalline in structure that could only come from here.

Place your order online for same-day pick up in-store.

For all orders over $50, we offer free local delivery within a 10 mile radius of each respective Shop in Morris and West Hartford.

We ship wine to many states. UPS Ground is our preferred third party carrier.