De Sousa

History of Champagne De Sousa

The history of Champagne De Sousa is a family saga woven with crossed destinies and resilience, anchored in the tumults of the 20th century. It all begins with Manuel De Sousa, a Portuguese "Poilu" from the province of Braga, near Porto. Sent to France with the Portuguese expeditionary corps during the First World War, he fought alongside the Allies, notably at Verdun. When peace returned in 1918, economic difficulties in Portugal prompted him to settle permanently in Avize, in Champagne, with his wife and newborn son, Antoine. Manuel, a hard worker, rented his services as a farm laborer, transporting iron-rich yellow earth to enrich the vineyards. Unfortunately, a brain tumor took him prematurely at 29, leaving a widow and four children.

Antoine, the eldest, grew up in this harsh context and found his way by marrying Zoémie Bonville in 1948. Coming from a line of winegrowers established in Avize for generations, her father Alfred Bonville had acquired the first parcels after the Great War, Zoémie brought viticultural lands as dowry. Together, they founded the De Sousa & Fils estate, growing from 2 to 5 hectares in the 1950s. Their production, initially sold to merchants, experienced early success thanks to clever advertising in magazines such as Le Chasseur Français. Antoine, trained from age 14 in the cellars, and Zoémie, heiress to ancestral know-how, laid the foundations of a "success story" that defied prejudices - a Portuguese name in the elitist world of champagne was not without obstacles.

It was in 1986 that Erick De Sousa, son of Antoine and Zoémie, took over the reins. Trained in a viticultural high school, he expanded the vineyard and initiated a conversion to biodynamics as early as 1999, well before it became a trend. A pioneer in a skeptical region, Erick initially refused labels, viewing organic not as a religion but as a tool to elevate grape quality. Organic certification came in 2010, followed by Demeter in 2013. Under his leadership, the estate grew to nearly 14 hectares, with an average vine age reaching 45 years. Erick, described as one of the most brilliant winegrowers of the Côte des Blancs by experts such as Bettane & Desseauve or Andreas Larsson (best sommelier in the world 2007), established a powerful and precise style, marked by barrel vinification for old parcels.

Tragedy struck in 2023 with Erick's premature death at 59, following an illness. But the legacy endures thanks to the third generation: Charlotte, Julie and Valentin De Sousa, at the helm since 2020. Charlotte manages commercialization with an MBA in wines from the OIV, Julie handles the vines and plowing with horse, a passion she has cultivated since childhood, while Valentin excels as cellar master. Supported by their mother Michelle, they perpetuate the family spirit: "nature first always", as Julie says. This passionate transition ensures the continuity of an estate that, from a modest 2 hectares, has become a global reference, exported as far as Japan where the Umami cuvée has won over chefs like Pierre Hermé. 

Terroirs and Vineyards of Champagne De Sousa

At the heart of the Côte des Blancs, the Avize terroir is the soul of Champagne De Sousa. This Grand Cru, nestled between Cramant to the north and Oger to the south, extends over a narrow strip of less than 2 km, with ideal east-south-east exposure for optimal sunshine. The soils, 100% chalky, a "belemnite chalk" scattered with cuttlefish fossils, the purest in Champagne, offer perfect drainage and exceptional permeability. This geology gives the wines deep minerality and distinctive elegance, while the gentle slope (from 220 m to 110 m altitude) protects the vines from excess humidity, despite the prevailing cold winds.

The estate extends over 14 hectares divided into 92 parcels, including 42 main ones, planted before 1890 for the oldest. The grape varieties are balanced: 60% Chardonnay for floral finesse, 30% Pinot Noir for structure and roundness, and 10% Pinot Meunier for vinosity. The average age of the vines, 45 years, is a major asset: 70% are over 45 years old, some dating back to the 1930s-1950s, with taproot roots descending up to 25-30 meters. These deep roots, favored by biodynamics, extract mineral salts and trace elements from the chalk, amplifying the terroir imprint beyond the grape variety. The planting density, 8,000 vines per hectare, and the Chablis or Cordon de Royat pruning, ensure low but concentrated yields.

Since 1999, biodynamic practices, preparations 500 and Maria Thun calendar, have regenerated the soil, boosting microbial diversity and mycorrhizae, these symbiotic fungi that dissolve rock to nourish roots. Julie De Sousa plows with horse on certain parcels, minimizing compaction and promoting biodiversity: "With more life in the soil, the vines are healthier, the grapes higher quality." Manual harvests, late for optimal physiological maturity, capture this vibrant energy. Complementary parcels in Pinot Noir at Aÿ and Ambonnay (Montagne de Reims), or in Chardonnay at Grauves (1er Cru) and Mardeuil (Vallée de la Marne), enrich the terroir palette. These old vines guarantee cuvées of rare purity, where the Avize terroir dominates with its saline freshness and mineral tension.

Vinifications of Champagne De Sousa

Vinification at Champagne De Sousa is a subtle art, guided by respect for the fruit and expression of terroir. Under the leadership of Valentin De Sousa, cellar master, each step privileges authenticity: indigenous yeasts from the oenological station for natural fermentation of 15 to 20 days at 18°C, preserving primary aromas. Chaptalization, rare and measured, aims for 11% vol for balanced maturity, without altering finesse.

Enameled steel tanks maintain juice freshness, while, since 1995, old vines (>60 years) ferment in small oak barrels or ovoid eggs, bringing richness and complexity. Cuvée wine dominates at 75%, with systematic malolactic fermentation to round out acids. No filtration or fining intervenes, preserving lively texture; only light sulfur is added at bottling. Ancestral techniques such as bâtonnage in barrel and manual poignettage of bottles, riddling on lees to concentrate flavors, elevate the cuvées. Blends incorporate reserve wines (up to 25% for the Réserve), and aging in chalk cellars at 10°C ensures slow maturation, with a stock of 2.5 years of bottles.

This biodynamic approach, without insecticides or chemical botrytis, and with EEC organic fertilizers, produces non-chaptalized champagnes for Blancs de Blancs, emphasizing the purity of Chardonnay. Result: velvety, sapid wines, with length in caudalies that evokes umami, depth, minerality and relief. 

The Cuvées of Champagne De Sousa

The range of cuvées from Champagne De Sousa is an ode to the diversity of terroirs, each revealing a unique facet of the estate. All produced from organic and biodynamic methods, they shine through their freshness, minerality and complexity.

The Brut Tradition is the perfect introduction: a multi-vintage blend of 50% Chardonnay (floral freshness), 40% Pinot Noir (roundness) and 10% Pinot Meunier (vinosity), on 25-30 year old vines in Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Épernay. Clay-chalk terroir, 12.5% vol. Notes of white flowers, citrus, ripe pears and red fruits; lively and balanced palate, ideal for aperitif. An accessible cuvée that demonstrates the estate's mastery.

The Extra-Brut Réserve, Blanc de Blancs 100% Chardonnay from Grands Crus (Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Chouilly), on 43-year-old vines in pure chalk. Non-chaptalized for total authenticity, blend of 2-3 years with 25% reserve, vinified in tanks. At 12.5% vol, it offers a golden color, a nose of brioche, butter and ripe citrus; fresh, fine and mineral palate, with elegant sapidity. Perfect for connoisseurs seeking a precise Grand Cru wine purchase.

The Brut Rosé stands out with its unusual blend: 92% Chardonnay from Grauves (1er Cru, freshness and finesse) and 8% Pinot Noir from Aÿ (Grand Cru, red fruits). Vines 25-30 years old on chalk, 12.5% vol. Orange-pink color, aromas of white flowers, minerals and small fruits (strawberry, raspberry); generous, fruity and balanced palate. A subtle blended rosé, rosé for fruity desserts or light meals.

The 3A cuvée (Avize-Aÿ-Ambonnay) combines 50% Chardonnay from Avize (pure chalk) and 25% Pinot Noir each from Aÿ and Ambonnay, on 25-30 year old vines planted in 1950 for remarkable concentration. Vinification 50% in ovoid barrels/50% tanks, 12.5% vol. Lemony and red fruit nose; rich, crisp palate, with power and persistent final finesse. A prestige cuvée for exceptional enthusiasts, highlighting the diversity of Grands Crus.

Mycorhize, 100% Chardonnay from Hauts Nemery in Avize (>80 years), plowed with horse to boost mycorrhizae. Pure chalk, 12.5% vol. Precise aromas of nuts, acacia, linden, honey and subtle raspberry; vibrant energy and Avize minerality on the palate. A unique cuvée celebrating soil life, for a profound biodynamic wine purchase.

The Cuvée des Caudalies, emblematic Blanc de Blancs 100% Chardonnay from Côte des Blancs (>60 years, parcels such as La Justice or Noyerot), in solera since 1995 (22 vintages up to 2017). Aged 100% in oak barrels, late manual harvests, 12.5% vol. Light gold color, integrated woody nose; harmonious, brioche and chalky palate, between youth and maturity. Ideal for noble fish.

The Cuvée des Caudalies Rosé blends 90% Chardonnay from Avize and 10% Pinot Noir from Aÿ (>60 years), Chardonnay bâtonné 6 months in barrels (2-8 wines), Pinot Noir 1 year in barrel. Grand Cru chalk, salmon-pink color; aromas of fresh red berries (raspberry, cherry kirsch), buttery and toasted. Elegant finesse for gastronomy.

Finally, Umami (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir from Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims) evokes the fifth Japanese taste: length, velvetiness and sapidity. Vinified in barrels with bâtonnage, old vines for concentration, 12.5% vol. Evolved notes of linden, honey, gingerbread, raspberry and cherry; pure minerality and floral pleasure. A tribute to biodynamics, won over by starred chefs.

From the freshness of Brut Tradition to the umami depth of the eponymous cuvée, these biodynamic bubbles illuminate tables and palates with elegance and authenticity. Discover other grower champagnes such as the Champagnes from Egly Ouriet, Larmandier Bernier, Agrapart, Laherte, Dehours, Ruppert Leroy, Françoise Bedel, R. Pouillon, Eric Rodez, Chartogne Taillet, Selosse, Jacques Lassaigne, Leclerc Briant...Vins & Millésimes offers you to buy online the best bottles and magnums of wines, old vintages, and grand crus. All our wines are in stock and in fast delivery! Do not hesitate to discover the breadth of our range of Champagne and sweet wines, prestige Champagne and vintage Champagnes and especially the cuvées of Champagne De Sousa, available for purchase!