Champagne Guy Charbaut
Champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne.
- Village
- Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Premier Cru)
- Region
- Vallée de la Marne
- Founded
- 1936
- Cuvées in the guide
- 11
Champagne Guy Charbaut is a family business based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Grandes Côtes de Champagne) that has been producing champagnes since 1936. The house is known for its traditional approach, its use of old vines (up to 50 years) and its ownership of a historic cellar complex on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
History
The story begins with André Charbaut, who planted his first vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in 1936. After the Second World War he founded his own brand and bought a grape press; the first cuvée of his own was produced in 1948. His son Guy grew the estate to 20 hectares in the 1960s. After the deaths of André and Guy in 2010, their grandchildren Xavier and Nathalie Charbaut took over the business, continuing the family tradition and artisanal quality.
Vineyards and Terroir
The estate today has 20 hectares of vineyard, mainly located in Premier Cru villages such as Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil, Avenay and Landreville. The land is privileged with a classification of 90 to 100% on the échelle des Crus. The grape varieties are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, with the oldest vines in Mareuil and Bisseuil being more than fifty years old.
Winemaking
Guy Charbaut follows a traditional and authentic approach:
- Vinification: Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, with a second fermentation through the addition of yeasts and sugar.
- Ageing: The champagnes age in the deep, 19th-century chalk cellars (up to 25 metres deep), which form part of the UNESCO heritage.
- Duration: The signature cuvée Sélection ages for four years (double the legal minimum) and receives a low dosage of 8 g/l.
- Style: Xavier Charbaut lets the terroir speak, avoids artificial additions and focuses on environmentally conscious viticulture.
Champagnes
The range includes:
- Sélection Brut: A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, aged four years.
- Cuvée de Réserve Vieilles Vignes Brut: A Premier Cru blend of old vines (approx. 50 years) from Mareuil and Bisseuil, aged five years.
- Blanc de Blancs: Largely from Bisseuil, with subtle floral and citrus aromas.
- Blanc de Noirs: A limited edition of 100% Pinot Noir, often in an Extra-Brut style.
- Rosé de Saignée: A historic cuvée in which Pinot Noir undergoes skin maceration (36-48 hours) for colour and aroma.
- Fine de la Marne: A grape-juice distillate of 40% alcohol, aged in oak barrels.
Cuvées by Guy Charbaut
Importers
Guy Charbaut is imported by: Ambrosia OnlyChamps.
Where it is sold
Shops and wholesalers carrying Guy Charbaut: Ambrosia OnlyChamps.
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