Rilly-la-Montagne grower Champagne with manual harvests, three traditional grapes and the vintage Brut Prospérité 2012.
The producer
Champagne Couvreur-Prak is a récoltant-manipulant based in Rilly-la-Montagne, a Premier Cru village in the Marne. Its principal parcels sit on the village slopes, with additional vines in Connigis in the Aisne. The house farms all three traditional Champagne grape varieties, harvests by hand and carries out every stage from vine cultivation through commercialisation. Its named range includes Complicité, a three grape blend, Accomplissement, a Blanc de Blancs, and Prospérité 2012, a vintage Brut.
Known for
Vintage Brut and Blanc de Blancs
Notable facts
Maison Couvreur-Prak was created by Isabelle and Sombath in 2017.
The vineyard extends over more than four hectares divided among roughly fifteen named parcels.
Harvesting is entirely manual, with whole bunches kept intact until pressing.
Prospérité 2012 is a vintage Brut Champagne composed of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Meunier.
The story
A New House Name
In 2005, Isabelle and Sombath enrolled together at the Avize viticulture school while Gabriel and Odile progressively passed on their vineyard and cellar knowledge. Isabelle's parents retired in 2010, beginning a new chapter for the couple. They wanted to develop the family holding, and in 2017 they created Maison Couvreur-Prak as a new house name. The sequence runs from formal viticulture training, through family transmission, to the couple's own Champagne project.
From the atlas
Champagne Couvreur-Prak
Rilly-la-Montagne grower Champagne with a family vineyard and a range spanning a three-grape blend, a Blanc de Blancs and a vintage Brut.
At A Glance
Detail
Information
Region
Champagne
Village
Rilly-la-Montagne, a Premier Cru village
Vineyard
More than four hectares in roughly fifteen named parcels
Main grapes
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier
Signature wine
Prospérité 2012, vintage Brut
Defining feature
Récoltant-manipulant, from vine cultivation through commercialisation
The Producer
Isabelle and Sombath enrolled together at the Avize viticulture school in 2005, while Gabriel and Odile progressively passed on their vineyard and cellar knowledge. When Isabelle's parents retired in 2010, the couple began a new chapter. In 2017 they created Maison Couvreur-Prak.
Couvreur-Prak is a récoltant-manipulant, handling every stage from growing the vines through commercialisation. The house harvests its own grapes, presses them, ferments the wines, matures them, riddles the bottles and prepares the Champagnes for sale.
Place
Rilly-la-Montagne is the historic base of the house and a Premier Cru village in the Marne. Its principal parcels lie on the village slopes, where Pinot Noir is the preferred variety. Additional vines are planted in Connigis in the Aisne.
The village classification refers to the quality of the grapes produced there. Couvreur-Prak's vineyard therefore combines a Pinot Noir led home base with a second holding outside Rilly-la-Montagne.
Wines
The range has three named cuvées. Complicité is the blend of the three traditional Champagne grapes. Accomplissement is a Blanc de Blancs. Prospérité 2012 is the vintage Brut.
The vintage wine is composed of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Meunier. The bottles move from a broad three grape blend to a Blanc de Blancs and then to a Champagne organised around one declared vintage.
In The Glass
Prospérité 2012 has a deep golden colour and very fine bubbles. Honey, toasted brioche and dried yellow fruit shape the aroma. The palate is rich and fleshy, with mineral notes, roasted almond and candied citrus. Freshness, orange zest and chocolate notes complete the profile.
A Bottle To Understand It
Prospérité 2012 is the first bottle to open. It is the house's vintage Brut and has spent more than a decade ageing in the cellar. The dated vintage places the bottle in a different range category from Complicité and Accomplissement, whose identities come from blend and Blanc de Blancs style.
Final Word
Couvreur-Prak is a grower house rooted in Rilly-la-Montagne, with manual harvests and complete control of Champagne production from vine to bottle.