Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard

The history of Champagne Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard

The story of Champagne Roses de Jeanne began in 2000, when Cédric Bouchard, the son of a Champagne winegrower, decided to forge his own path after a rewarding stint as a sommelier and wine merchant in Paris. Having trained in Beaune, the birthplace of Burgundy’s plot-based approach to viticulture, he returned to his hometown of Celles-sur-Ource with a clear ambition: to produce champagnes that reflect the soul of their terroir. At the outset, his father lent him a one-hectare plot called Les Ursules, planted with Pinot Noir. That first attempt quickly proved a triumph, laying the foundations for his rapidly growing reputation.

Named Champagne’s best winegrower by Gault Millau in 2008, Cédric Bouchard embodies the region’s renewal. In tribute to his grandmother Jeanne (or Janika, according to some sources), he named his estate "Les Roses de Jeanne", a name that evokes a family tradition reimagined for modern times. Initially limited to 1.09 hectares, making it the smallest estate in Champagne at the time, the vineyard gradually expanded to nearly 3 hectares today after he purchased his father’s plots. Since 2014, all production has been brought together under the Les Roses de Jeanne label, replacing the Inflorescence range that once used his father’s grapes. With a Burgundy-inspired approach—one grape variety, one terroir, one vintage—Cédric Bouchard restores the reputation of the Côte des Bar, a region often overshadowed by the Montagne de Reims or the Côte des Blancs.

The terroirs and vineyards of Champagne Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard

Located in Celles-sur-Ource in southern Champagne, Champagne Roses de Jeanne benefits from a unique terroir in the Côte des Bar, just 20 km from Burgundy. The clay-limestone soils, often Kimmeridgian and similar to those of Chablis, give the wines distinctive minerality and rare complexity. Warmer than the northern growing areas, this microclimate is particularly favorable to Pinot Noir, the region’s signature grape, as well as Chardonnay and the exceptionally rare Pinot Blanc, all of which Cédric Bouchard brings to their fullest expression.

Today, the estate spans nearly 3 hectares divided into exceptional tiny plots. Among them, Les Ursules (0.97 ha), planted in 1974, is the estate’s historic birthplace. Other prestigious named plots, including Côte de Val Vilaine (1.42 ha), Côte de Béchalin (0.73 ha), La Bolorée (0.217 ha) and Le Creux d’Enfer (0.07 ha), illustrate this meticulous plot-by-plot approach. Farmed biodynamically, though without official certification, the vines receive extraordinary care: plowing, rigorous bud removal, green harvesting and yields limited to 20–30 hl/ha, among the lowest in Champagne. Planting density, sometimes as high as 8,000 vines per hectare, and this exacting approach ensure exceptional concentration in every grape, revealing the essence of each terroir.

Winemaking at Domaine Les Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard

For Cédric Bouchard, winemaking is an art of precision and purity. True to his motto, "one plot, one grape variety, one vintage", he rejects traditional blending so that each terroir can express itself fully. Hand-harvested and foot-trodden, the grapes undergo rigorous selection: only the finest, first-press juice is kept, with the rest sold to wine merchants. Fermentation relies exclusively on native yeasts, without chaptalization, to preserve the fruit’s authenticity.

Unlike many Champagne producers, Cédric Bouchard rules out oak aging, which he considers too intrusive. His wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, preserving the grapes’ freshness and natural minerality. Malolactic fermentation is always carried out, adding roundness and breadth, while the wines are neither filtered nor fined and receive no dosage. For the second fermentation, he opts for lower pressure (4 bars rather than the usual 6), creating fine, understated bubbles that highlight the vinous character of his champagnes. The style, which he himself describes as "white Burgundies with bubbles", is captivating in its elegance and depth.

The cuvées of Champagne Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard

Champagne Roses de Jeanne offers a range of exceptionally rare single-plot cuvées, each from a unique terroir and a specific grape variety. Here is a comprehensive look at Cédric Bouchard’s signature wines:

Les Ursules: The estate’s first cuvée, from a 0.97-hectare Pinot Noir plot planted in 1974. With production limited to around 2,800 bottles, this Blanc de Noirs offers intense concentration, combining finesse, complexity and mineral tension. A champagne made for aging (at least 4–5 years).

Côte de Val Vilaine: A 100% Pinot Noir from a 1.42-hectare plot in Polisy. This generous wine reveals exuberant aromas of brioche and nuts, with a full, vinous palate. Annual production: 300–500 cases.

Côte de Béchalin: From a 0.73-hectare southeast-facing plot, this Pinot Noir stands out for its freshness and notes of citrus and exotic fruit, underpinned by vibrant acidity. Around 150 cases a year.

La Bolorée: An exceptionally rare 100% Pinot Blanc grown on 0.217 ha of Kimmeridgian soils. This hard-to-find champagne (fewer than 1,000 bottles) captivates with its purity and chalky minerality. A gem for collectors.

Presle: A Blanc de Noirs made from a west-facing plot in Celles-sur-Ource, planted in 2007 using a variety of rootstocks to maximize complexity. Fresh, elegant and silky, it shines with white-fruit aromas and finesse.

Haute-Lemblée: A 100% Chardonnay from a tiny 0.12-hectare plot. Produced in extremely limited quantities, this Blanc de Blancs offers crystalline precision and rare intensity.

Le Creux d’Enfer Rosé: A 100% Pinot Noir saignée rosé produced from just 0.07 ha—a few rows of vines. Delicate and crystalline, with subtle color and a production of around 500 bottles.

Each cuvée is vintage-dated, made without dosage and aged on its lees for 38 months in stainless steel tanks, ensuring a pure, authentic expression of its terroir.

Would you like to buy a bottle of Champagne from Domaine Francis Boulard? Explore our selection of wines from the domaine, along with other terroir-driven champagnes such as Egly Ouriet, Larmandier Bernier, Agrapart, Laherte, Dehours, Ruppert Leroy, Françoise Bedel, R. Pouillon, Eric Rodez, Chartogne Taillet, Selosse...

Champagne Roses de Jeanne - Cédric Bouchard is far more than a champagne house: it is a celebration of nature, terroir and craftsmanship. Since its founding in 2000, Cédric Bouchard has established a distinctive style combining vinous character, precision and purity that appeals to connoisseurs worldwide. With its biodynamically farmed tiny plots, minimalist winemaking and rare cuvées, this estate embodies the excellence of a modern, bold Champagne. Whether you are looking to buy Les Ursules, Côte de Val Vilaine or the legendary Bolorée, these exceptional champagnes promise an unforgettable tasting experience.