Champagne Baron Dauvergne

The story

The Daisy Behind Fine Fleur

In 1983, Eliane Dauvergne created a cuvée called Fine Fleur to honour the daisy, known in French as the marguerite. The name gave the new wine a direct link to a flower, and the daisy became the permanent symbol of Champagne Baron Dauvergne. Fine Fleur remained the cuvée attached to the decision, while the flower moved from the idea behind the wine onto the house presentation. A choice made by Eliane Dauvergne for one specific cuvée in 1983 left a physical mark that continued beyond the original release, with the marguerite remaining the recognisable symbol associated with the producer.

From the atlas

Champagne Baron Dauvergne

At A Glance

Champagne Baron Dauvergne builds its documented range around Bouzy Grand Cru and Pinot Noir. Fine Fleur is a 100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs, Tour Eiffel Brut blends 75% Pinot Noir with 25% Chardonnay, and Les Notre Dames returns to Pinot Noir, sometimes supplemented by Pinot Meunier.

The three bottles offer different readings of the same named origin. Fine Fleur uses hand-picked grapes, whole bunch pressing and stainless-steel malolactic fermentation. Tour Eiffel adds Chardonnay to the blend and to its barrel-aged liqueur. Les Notre Dames spends 36 to 48 months on lees and carries 8 to 9g/l residual sugar.

The Producer

Champagne Baron Dauvergne is a Champagne producer whose documented wines place Bouzy Grand Cru at the centre and Pinot Noir at the front of the range. Fine Fleur gives that grape its clearest single-variety expression: a Blanc de Noirs made entirely from Pinot Noir, with a 6g/l dosage and a rich, firm body beneath creamy foam.

Tour Eiffel Brut changes the reading by adding 25% Chardonnay to 75% Pinot Noir, then using a 100% Chardonnay liqueur aged in barrel. Les Notre Dames keeps the Pinot Noir emphasis, with a 100% Pinot Noir blend that can sometimes include Pinot Meunier. The range is therefore organised through grape proportion, finishing method, lees time and sweetness.

Place

Bouzy Grand Cru is the shared place name across Fine Fleur, Tour Eiffel Brut and Les Notre Dames. Because the three wines carry the same named origin, their differences come into focus through the grapes and cellar decisions: single-variety Pinot Noir in Fine Fleur, Chardonnay alongside Pinot Noir in Tour Eiffel, and extended lees ageing in Les Notre Dames.

No slope, soil type, elevation or village detail is established for these bottles. The useful place comparison stays with Bouzy Grand Cru and what each cuvée does with its grapes once they reach the cellar.

Soil And Site

The supported site reference is Bouzy Grand Cru. It anchors a range that moves from a firm, creamy Blanc de Noirs to a golden Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend, then to a longer-aged Pinot Noir-led wine with fine effervescence and lingering aromatics.

That shared origin gives the range a clear frame. The contrast comes from composition, dosage, barrel-aged Chardonnay liqueur and time on lees, not from unconfirmed claims about chalk, exposure or elevation.

Story

In 1927, Fernand Dauvergne and Hubert Baron worked with other winemakers to create Defynlieu, described as the first partnership of its kind in Champagne. The episode places cooperation at an early point in the producer's history, while the current range shows a house working through several combinations of grapes, dosage and ageing.

In 1983, Eliane Dauvergne created Fine Fleur to honour the daisy, or marguerite. The flower became the permanent house symbol, linking a named cuvée to a mark that remains part of how the range is presented.

Vineyards And Cellar

Fine Fleur begins with hand-picked grapes and whole bunch pressing. Fermentation takes place at 18°C, followed by malolactic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. The wine then ages on laths in traditional cellars before receiving 6g/l dosage.

The documented tasting profile follows that sequence with ripe red fruits, pear, grapefruit and spice, alongside mineral notes and fresh acidity. Its rich, firm body and creamy foam give the 100% Pinot Noir wine a broad, composed mouthfeel.

Wines

Fine Fleur is the range's 100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs from Bouzy Grand Cru. Its 6g/l dosage sits beside ripe red fruit, pear, grapefruit and spicy nuances, while mineral notes, fresh acidity, firm body and creamy foam define its profile.

Tour Eiffel Brut is the blend: 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay from Bouzy Grand Cru. Its finishing liqueur is entirely Chardonnay aged in barrel, and the wine carries 7g/l dosage. The range description places it in a bright golden-yellow colour with a powerful nose, fresh hazelnut and a firm, well-shaped palate.

Les Notre Dames is another Pinot Noir-led Blanc de Noirs, made from 100% Pinot Noir and sometimes supplemented by Pinot Meunier. It spends 36 to 48 months on lees and carries 8 to 9g/l residual sugar, classified as Brut sec. Its light yellow, sometimes coppery appearance and its combination of apple, ripe pear, brioche, toast and almond set it apart from Fine Fleur.

In The Glass

Fine Fleur rises first with ripe red fruit, pear and grapefruit, followed by spicy notes. On the palate, fresh acidity and mineral character keep the rich, firm body moving, while creamy foam softens the texture. The finish leaves fruit and mineral notes together.

Tour Eiffel opens with a bright golden-yellow colour and a powerful nose marked by fresh hazelnut. The 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay blend gives the palate a firm, well-shaped feel, with the barrel-aged Chardonnay liqueur adding a separate finishing note to the wine's profile.

Les Notre Dames moves from apple and ripe pear into brioche, toast, almond and toasted notes. Fine effervescence carries raspberry and cherry across the palate, followed by honey and sweet spice. Its 36 to 48 months on lees support the lingering aromatic finish, while 8 to 9g/l residual sugar sits alongside natural acidity and mineral character.

A Bottle To Understand It

Start with Fine Fleur. It keeps Bouzy Grand Cru and Pinot Noir in the clearest relationship because the wine is made entirely from Pinot Noir, without a second grape in the blend. Hand-picked fruit, whole bunch pressing, fermentation at 18°C, stainless-steel malolactic fermentation and ageing on laths lead to a 6g/l dosage.

In the glass, Fine Fleur brings ripe red fruit, pear, grapefruit and spice, then a mineral, fresh-acid palate with firm body and creamy foam. It gives the range a direct first reference, leaving Tour Eiffel's Chardonnay blend and Les Notre Dames' longer lees ageing as useful comparisons.

Anecdote

In 1983, Eliane Dauvergne decided to create a cuvée called Fine Fleur in honour of the daisy, known in French as the marguerite. The name tied the wine to a flower instead of a vineyard name or technical description. From that point, the daisy became the permanent symbol of the house. Fine Fleur remained the cuvée attached to the decision, while the flower became the mark associated with Champagne Baron Dauvergne. A single choice made for one wine in 1983 gave the producer a visual sign that could travel from the cellar to the label and remain recognisable over time.

Final Word

Champagne Baron Dauvergne's documented range keeps Bouzy Grand Cru in view while changing the proportions, cellar work and sweetness around Pinot Noir. Fine Fleur is the direct starting point, Tour Eiffel shows the effect of Chardonnay and barrel-aged liqueur, and Les Notre Dames brings longer lees ageing with a softer, more aromatic finish.

Sources

• https://baron-dauvergne.fr/en/produit/fine-fleur-2/
• https://baron-dauvergne.fr/en/produit/tour-eiffel-2/
• https://we-love-bubbles.com/baron-dauvergne-champagne-blanc-de-noirs-les-notre-dames
• https://www.terroirum.com/en/wine/baron-dauvergne-fine-fleur-de-bouzy-grand-cru/