Maison Champy

History of Maison Champy

The story of Maison Champy begins in 1720, when Edme Champy, a cooper by trade, founded his own négociant house in Beaune. The first wine merchant established in Burgundy, it preceded the emergence of the modern Burgundian trade by several decades and swiftly conquered foreign markets, notably the Austrian Netherlands. In the 19th century, the house struck up a friendship with Louis Pasteur, who conducted his famous research on wine (Études sur le vin, 1866) in collaboration with Claude Champy. Maison Champy went on to win several gold medals at international exhibitions (Amsterdam, Paris, Vienna, Saint Louis), confirming its worldwide renown.

In 1890, to mark the 170th anniversary, the Eiffel-style vat house was built, equipped with a pasteuriser designed according to the principles of Louis Pasteur. In 1990, Henri Meurgey and Pierre Beuchet relaunched the house, then described as a "sleeping beauty". In 2010, the acquisition of the Laleur-Piot estate in Pernand-Vergelesses significantly enriched the domain's heritage with plots of Corton and Charlemagne. In 2016, Maison Champy joined the AdVini wine group, which continued the renaissance of the site. Today, under the direction of oenologist Dimitri Bazas, Maison Champy remains the last active wine production site in the very heart of Beaune.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Maison Champy

Maison Champy owns 21 hectares of vines on the Côte d'Or, situated primarily on the Côte de Beaune, across the communes of Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses, and Aloxe-Corton. The heart of the estate lies on the Corton hill, in Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, and Pernand-Vergelesses, notably encompassing prestigious plots of Corton and Corton-Charlemagne. The estate has also managed the celebrated Clos de la Chapelle in Volnay since 2011.

All the vines are cultivated using organic farming methods, with a full conversion completed in 2007 and certification obtained in 2010; certain plots are also worked using biodynamic practices. The estate is also certified HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale). In addition to its own vineyards, Maison Champy relies on longstanding partnerships (long-term tenancy and sharecropping agreements) with selected growers on the Côte de Nuits, notably in Gevrey-Chambertin (Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru) and in Vosne-Romanée, as well as in more northerly vineyards such as Chablis and the Mâconnais. The range thus covers more than 75 cuvées, comprising 4 regional appellations, 23 Villages, 14 Premiers Crus, and several Grands Crus.

Winemaking at Maison Champy

In the cellar, Maison Champy applies classic vinification methods drawn from the great Burgundian tradition, overseen since 1999 by oenologist Dimitri Bazas. For the reds, the harvests are sorted, followed by a cold pre-fermentation maceration, then a fermentation conducted exclusively with the natural yeasts present on the grapes. Pigeage and pump-overs are carried out with precision, adjusted for each cuvée to achieve the gentlest possible extraction. For the whites, pressing is followed by settling and alcoholic fermentation in barrels.

With the exception of the regional appellations (raised in stainless steel tanks to preserve their freshness), all wines are fermented and aged in French oak barrels, in the house's kilometre-long 15th-century cellars. The proportion of new oak varies from 20 to 100% depending on the appellation, always used judiciously so as never to mask the fruit and the terroir. The barrels used are traditional Burgundian pièces of 228 litres, crafted by local coopers. Bottling is generally carried out without fining, predominantly under cork closure.

The Cuvées of Maison Champy

Saint-Romain: a Village cuvée from Saint-Romain, fresh and mineral, marked by high-altitude limestone soils.

Chorey-lès-Beaune: a supple and fruity Village Pinot Noir, an accessible expression from the northern Côte de Beaune.

Aloxe-Corton: a red Village wine from the prestigious Corton hill, fleshy, spiced, and deep, built for ageing.

Beaune: a red Village wine revealing notes of cherry, violet, and soft spices, with a silky palate.

Beaune Vieilles Vignes: a single-plot cuvée from old vines, with a dense texture and deep fruit.

Beaune 1er Cru: a balanced and refined Premier Cru, a fully realised expression of the Beaune terroir.

Beaune 1er Cru Aux Cras: a precise Premier Cru with a mineral backbone and vibrant fruit.

Beaune 1er Cru Vignes Franches: an emblematic Premier Cru, structured and deep, marked by ripe red fruits and spices.

Pernand-Vergelesses blanc: a Chardonnay with a golden robe and golden highlights, nose of citrus, white flowers, and wild mint on a mineral and smoky background. A frank attack, freshness-roundness balance, long and mineral finish.

Pernand-Vergelesses rouge: a fine and fruity red Village wine, marked by cherry and spices, with an elegant and fresh palate.

Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de Bully: white monopole with a distinctly mineral and saline signature, a confidential jewel of the estate.

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeux (white): a Premier Cru of great finesse, with a taut mineral backbone and finely chiselled aromas of white fruits and flowers.

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Île des Vergelesses (rouge): a thoroughbred, structured Premier Cru revealing aromas of red fruits, spices, and undergrowth.

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots: a complex Premier Cru combining freshness and depth, with a silky and lingering palate.

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses: a Premier Cru with a mineral signature, marked by notes of red fruits and an elegant structure.

Savigny-lès-Beaune: a fruity and indulgent red Village wine, a typical expression of the appellation, with a supple and fresh palate.

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Vergelesses: an elegant Premier Cru with a mineral backbone and juicy fruit, endowed with a beautiful persistence.

Pommard: a dense and fleshy red Village wine, marked by dark fruit and a firm tannic structure, typical of the appellation.

Volnay: a red Village wine of unmistakable sensuality, with vibrant red fruit, a silky palate, and an elegant finish.

Meursault: a classic white Village wine from the Côte de Beaune, with an ample, buttery palate marked by toasted hazelnut and stone fruits.

Puligny-Montrachet: a refined Chardonnay of remarkable aromatic purity with a slender mineral backbone.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières: an exceptional Premier Cru combining the tension of Puligny with a finely chiselled depth, a wine built for long ageing.

Chassagne-Montrachet: a taut and precise white, marked by citrus, white flowers, and a beautiful minerality.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes: an elegant Premier Cru with floral freshness and indulgent fruit, on a taut and persistent palate.

Gevrey-Chambertin: an emblematic Village wine from the Côte de Nuits, a structured and deep red marked by dark fruits, spices, and notes of undergrowth.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru: an exceptional Premier Cru combining power and finesse, built for very long ageing.

Chambolle-Musigny: a Village wine of legendary finesse, revealing aromas of rose, strawberry, and delicate spices, on a silky and persistent palate.

Nuits-Saint-Georges: an intense and structured Village wine, with aromas of cherry, blackcurrant, and truffle, displaying a remarkable tannin-roundness balance.

Vosne-Romanée: a Village wine emblematic of elegance, revealing the famous "Vosne spice": oriental spices, black cherry, and violet, on a velvety and deep palate.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts: an exceptional Premier Cru, ample and complex, with a powerful mineral backbone and noble fruit.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots: one of the most sought-after Premiers Crus in Vosne, neighbouring Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Richebourg. A full-bodied, fragrant, and refined wine with fine tannins and remarkable length.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: the estate's signature wine, a white jewel from the Corton hill. A majestic wine, ample and deep, combining power and finesse, marked by a saline minerality and infinite length.

Corton Rognet Grand Cru: a red Grand Cru from the Rognet climat, on the eastern slope of the hill. A powerful, fleshy, and deep wine, built for very long ageing.

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru: an emblematic Grand Cru from Gevrey-Chambertin, combining power and elegance, with deep aromas of dark fruits, spices, and undergrowth.

Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru: a Grand Cru neighbouring Chambertin, with a thoroughbred mineral backbone and remarkable aromatic depth.

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru: an iconic Grand Cru from the Côte de Nuits, an ample and fleshy wine combining fine tannins, suppleness, and harmonious elegance.

Echézeaux Grand Cru: a refined Grand Cru from Flagey-Echezeaux, with remarkable aromatic finesse and an elegant structure, neighbouring Vosne-Romanée.