Champagne Canard-Duchêne
Champagne house in Ludes, Montagne de Reims.
- Village
- Ludes (Premier Cru)
- Region
- Montagne de Reims
- Founded
- 1868
- Cuvées in the guide
- 14
Canard-Duchêne is a champagne house based in Ludes (Montagne de Reims), founded in 1868 by the carpenter Victor Canard and the winegrower Léonie Duchêne. Since 2004 the house has been part of the Alain Thiénot Group and it is the tenth-largest champagne house in the world.
History The house gained international recognition by supplying champagne to the Russian court of Tsar Nicholas II, which led to the use of the crowned double-headed eagle on the labels. After periods of ownership by LVMH and Veuve Clicquot, the company grew strongly under Thiénot, with production of more than four million bottles a year.
Vineyards and Terroir Canard-Duchêne manages approximately 30 hectares of its own land and works with 200 winegrowing families to obtain grapes from some 100 different crus. The focus is on the Montagne de Reims, with a strong preference for Pinot Noir, while the house also holds organic certifications and applies sustainable practices.
Approach The wine style, under the direction of cellar master Cynthia Fossier, is characterised by freshness, fruitiness and balance. Important techniques are the use of a high proportion of reserve wines and the Réserve Perpétuelle (Solera method), introduced in 2012, for complexity. The champagnes are aged in hand-hewn 19th-century chalk cellars with a low dosage, usually under 7 g/l.
Champagnes The range comprises 13 cuvées, including:
- Cuvée Léonie Brut: 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier, 25% Chardonnay.
- Grande Cuvée Charles VII Brut: 45% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Meunier.
- Blanc de Noirs: 73% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Meunier.
- Léonie Iconic: A symbolic cuvée with 35% permanent reserve.
- P181: An organic Extra Brut.
Cuvées by Canard-Duchêne
Importers
Canard-Duchêne is imported by: Huis van Champagne.
Where it is sold
Shops and wholesalers carrying Canard-Duchêne: Sligro, Vinify.
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