Côte des Bar house working Pinot Noir led vineyards plot by plot on Kimmeridgian marl.
The producer
Champagne Douge began making wines under the family name in 2016, after the family had sold fruit to local producers. The estate comprises seven hectares across twelve plots in Côte des Bar. Florent Douge studied at Beaune and worked in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Var and Sancerre. The vineyards are primarily Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. The wines include Fleur de Gaillet, Duodecim, Faillet and Val Mentra.
Known for
Plot by plot Côte des Bar Champagne
Notable facts
Florent Douge began making wines under his family name in 2016.
The estate comprises seven hectares across twelve plots.
The vineyards are primarily Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
Fleur de Gaillet is 100% Chardonnay from the 2017 vintage, vinified in 350 liter oak barrels.
The story
Florent Douge Changes Direction
In 2016, Florent Douge decided to change the family business. He had studied winemaking at Beaune and worked in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Var and Sancerre. The family had been selling its fruit to local producers. Douge then began making wines under the family name, seeking to explore the individual plots of the vineyard. The estate comprises seven hectares across twelve plots in Côte des Bar, where Kimmeridgian marl has more in common with Chablis than with the chalk based soils of much of Champagne. His working methods treat each plot individually and adapt to the site and grape variety.
From the atlas
Champagne Douge
A Côte des Bar house where Florent Douge treats each vineyard plot according to its site and grape.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Côte des Bar, southern Champagne
Vineyard scale
Seven hectares across twelve plots
Main grapes
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc
Defining feature
Kimmeridgian marl soils and plot by plot working methods
The Producer
Florent Douge studied winemaking at Beaune, then worked in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Var and Sancerre before taking over the family vineyard. In 2016, he began making wines under his family name after the family had sold fruit to local producers.
Florent's approach is Burgundian: each plot is treated individually, and working methods are adapted to the site and the grape variety. The vineyards are primarily planted with Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. The estate was in conversion to organic farming, with certification expected from the 2022 harvest.
Place
Kimmeridgian marl lies beneath the vineyards in the Côte des Bar, the southern region of Champagne. This soil has more in common with Chablis than with the chalk based soils associated with much of Champagne. Marl combines clay and limestone, giving the vines a different physical ground from the chalk focused vineyards farther north. Florent Douge adapts working methods to each plot and variety.
Wines
Fleur de Gaillet is a 100% Chardonnay cuvée from the 2017 vintage, vinified in 350 liter oak barrels. It has a bright golden yellow hue with white gold reflections and generous aromas of juicy yellow fruit, including Mirabelle.
Duodecim is a champagne without added sugar, with marked aromatic complexity and an appetizing finish. Faillet is fruity, fresh and pleasurable. Val Mentra is 100% Pinot Noir. The named wines cover a Chardonnay cuvée, a pure Pinot Noir cuvée, a fruity and fresh bottling, and a champagne without added sugar.
Final Word
Champagne Douge works from Côte des Bar marl, a Pinot Noir led vineyard base and a plot by plot approach adapted to each variety. Its range includes Chardonnay made in oak, pure Pinot Noir and champagne without added sugar.