André Beaufort

The History of Champagne André Beaufort

The house’s history is inseparable from that of a family of winegrowers based in Ambonnay, one of Champagne’s seventeen Grand Cru villages. Established under the name André Beaufort, the estate took a decisive turn in the late 1960s under Jacques Beaufort. In 1969, faced with severe allergies caused by synthetic chemicals, he decided to seek other ways to treat his vines while protecting his health. From 1971 onward, he cultivated his vineyard without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides or synthetic fungicides, making him one of the region’s earliest organic winegrowers.

It was also during this period that the family acquired a vineyard in Polisy, in the Aube, which would give rise to a second range of cuvées. Jacques Beaufort’s campaign did not stop at the vines: he fought against helicopter spraying that threatened the balance of his plots, winning his case before the Reims Court of Appeal in 1988. The estate entered certified organic conversion in 1994 and had its first certified organic harvest in 1997. Since 2007, the next generation, including André and Réol Beaufort, has run the estate with the same spirit of independence and an unhurried approach.

Terroirs and Vines of Champagne André Beaufort

The vineyard, about seven hectares certified organic, is divided between two very different terroirs. In Ambonnay, on the Montagne de Reims, the vines grow on chalky soils in a village classified entirely as Grand Cru, historically recognized for its outstanding red grapes. Pinot noir accounts for more than three-quarters of the planted area, complemented by chardonnay. This explains the cuvées’ powerful, full-bodied character, with touches of finesse from the white grape variety. Several named sites, including Les Clos and La Bouteille, are now bottled separately.

About a hundred kilometers to the south, in Polisy, in the Côte des Bar southeast of Troyes, the plots lie on Kimmeridgian-influenced clay-limestone soils. They are also exposed to cold, damp air currents crossing the small valleys from the Langres plateau. The Derrière l’Église site produces a notable single-parcel cuvée. Throughout the vineyards, shallow hoeing replaces herbicides, and plant-based compost made on the estate is supplemented with bone meal and blood meal. This compost maintains humus, limits erosion and retains moisture during drought. Since 1974, the house has experimented with essential oils and, since 1980, homeopathy to reduce the use of copper and sulfur and preserve the balance of wildlife.

Winemaking at Champagne André Beaufort

Harvest begins about a hundred days after full flowering, when the grapes are truly ripe rather than on an administratively set date. Pressing takes place immediately after picking to prevent any skin maceration, with strict separation of the first-press juice and subsequent pressings. The must settles for at least twelve hours in a tank, often followed by a second, finer settling, before being transferred to barrels or tanks. The first alcoholic fermentation relies exclusively on indigenous yeasts, with no products prohibited under organic production standards.

In spring, malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, stabilizing the wine, reducing the need for SO2 and slightly lowering its acidity, with no later acidification, unlike the practice at many houses. The wines spend around ten months in old barrels, a source of the richness and texture that define the estate’s style. Secondary fermentation in bottle uses unrefined cane sugar or concentrated grape sugar. The bottles then rest horizontally on racks for months, often years, well beyond the legal minimums; the estate believes a vintage wine only comes into its own after five years on its lees. Riddling is done by hand on a rack, and disgorgement is performed by hand without freezing the neck, just before release. The dosage, made with concentrated grape sugar, then determines whether the wine is Brut, Demi-Sec or Doux. The disgorgement date appears on the label within the lot number.

The cuvées of Champagne André Beaufort

Ambonnay Grand Cru Brut Réserve: Ambonnay’s entry-level cuvée, a blend dominated by pinot noir (about 80%) with chardonnay, sourced exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. Structured, full-bodied and highly aromatic, it expresses the power of pinot noir tempered by the finesse of chardonnay. A vinous, long and generous champagne, almost a wine for contemplation.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Brut Millésime: the vintage Grand Cru, aged for many years on its lees before recent disgorgement. The nose develops notes of ripe fruit, candied citrus, brioche and honey; the palate is both creamy and taut, underpinned by chalky minerality. The estate’s older vintages are among the most sought-after wines of organic Champagne.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut: a rare 100% chardonnay expression of the Grand Cru, made from the small proportion of white grapes grown in the Ambonnay vineyard. More lithe and crystalline than the pinot noir-dominant cuvées, it brings together citrus, white flowers and salinity while retaining the fullness characteristic of the house’s oak aging.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Brut lieu-dit Les Clos: a single-parcel cuvée from one Ambonnay vineyard site, vinified separately to reveal its distinctive character. The chalk comes through clearly, with a dense texture and saline finish. A gastronomic wine that calls for a few more years in the cellar.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Brut lieu-dit La Bouteille: Ambonnay’s second single-parcel cuvée, produced in very small quantities. The wine emphasizes depth and ripe fruit, with an almost perceptible tannic structure inherited from Grand Cru pinot noir and a remarkably long finish. A collector’s bottle.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Brut Rosé: a Grand Cru rosé made from Ambonnay pinot noir in the estate’s characteristic vinous style. Ripe red berries, cherry and a hint of spice lead into a broad, flavorful palate. A rosé for the table rather than an apéritif, to serve with white meat or poultry.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Demi-Sec Millésime: the house is one of the few in Champagne to proudly champion its demi-secs, a longstanding estate specialty. In older vintages, the wine takes on an old-gold hue and develops notes of honey, macerated grapes, apricot and spice, in a rich, mellow whole evocative of stewed fruit. Ideal with foie gras and grapes or a pear with Roquefort.

Ambonnay Grand Cru Doux Rosé: the most generous wine in the range, a Grand Cru rosé with a higher dosage of concentrated grape sugar. Rich with preserved-fruit flavors yet surprisingly fresh thanks to the acidity retained by the old vines, it pairs with red-fruit desserts and sweet-and-savory dishes. Produced in very limited quantities.

Polisy Brut Réserve: the entry-level cuvée from the Aube vineyard, combining predominantly pinot noir with chardonnay grown on the clay-limestone soils of the Côte des Bar. The nose offers yellow fruit, herbal and pastry notes; the palate is creamy, fruity and mineral, with good persistence. Often offered as a Brut Nature, with no dosage.

Polisy Brut Millésime: a vintage expression of the Polisy terroir, aged extensively on its lees. Sunnier and fruitier than the Ambonnay range, it retains firm acidity thanks to the cool air currents from the Langres plateau. Vintages from the 1990s and 2000s, recently disgorged, are among the estate’s most delightful surprises.

Polisy Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésime: pure chardonnay from the Côte des Bar, grown on Kimmeridgian soils similar to those of Chablis. The wine combines tension, citrus and stony minerality with the roundness imparted by aging in old barrels and malolactic fermentation. Perfect with oysters, shellfish and delicate fish.

Polisy Blanc de Noirs Brut Millésime: by contrast, this cuvée puts pinot noir alone in the spotlight. A golden hue, a nose of ripe red fruit and forest floor, and a broad, vinous, fleshy palate. A gastronomic champagne that easily stands up to white meat with mushrooms.

Polisy Brut Derrière l’Église Millésime: Polisy’s single-parcel cuvée, introduced with the 2010 and 2014 vintages and sourced from a single named site in the heart of the village. More precise and linear than the Réserve cuvée, it is often offered as a Brut Nature, with no dosage, to let the soil speak. A rosé from the same site is also made in very small quantities.

Polisy Brut Rosé and Demi-Sec: the Polisy range also includes a vintage rosé brimming with fresh red fruit and energy, as well as Demi-Sec wines (Réserve, vintage or Doux). These cuvées with dosage, a house specialty, develop aromas of candied fruit, honey and sweet spice with age while retaining a lively acidic backbone that keeps them easy to drink.

Potion Non Dosé: a limited-production cuvée with no dosage, the purest expression of the estate’s work, sought after by lovers of natural champagnes. It conveys the fruit, chalk and texture imparted by extended lees aging without anything getting in the way.

Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Blanc Grand Cru, Ambonnay Rouge and Polisy Rouge: the house’s still wines, with the reds made in the Burgundian style. The Ambonnay white offers a direct expression of Grand Cru chalk, while the light, easy-drinking pinot noir reds, scented with red fruit and spice, recall that Champagne was first a region of still wines. Rare bottles, produced only in favorable vintages.