NoleaWorld of Wine
Menu

Champagne · France

Champagne G.H Martel & Champagne Charles de Cazanove

Two Reims Champagne houses under Rapeneau family ownership, with fresh mineral G.H. Martel wines and distinct Brut blends.

Place
Champagne · France
Known for
Fresh mineral Reims Champagne houses
Wine context
Chardonnay · Pinot Noir

5 sources · Sources and notes ↓

Atlas locationChampagne · France49.26° N · 4.03° EOpen in Atlas

Who makes it

Christophe Rapeneau serves as Chairman of G.H. Martel, while Paul-Alexandre Rapeneau serves as Managing Director. The house maintains 58 hectares of vineyard estate, and its vineyards are certified High Environmental Value Level 3. The Rapeneau family has handed down Champagne heritage and know how across generations.

G.H. Martel's house style is fresh and mineral, with great acidity and delicacy. Charles de Cazanove adds a second Reims house to the group. It has been part of the Champagne story since 1811, and the Rapeneau family owns both houses as part of an integrated group.

Where it grows

Reims is home to both houses, while G.H. Martel's vineyards extend across 64 villages in Champagne. A vineyard base spread across many villages gives a Champagne house multiple sources for composing cuvées, with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay available from different parts of the region.

Chalk also shapes the cellar environment. Cool, stable underground conditions suit the secondary fermentation and lees ageing used for sparkling wine, allowing the wine to develop gradually while retaining acidity and fine effervescence. G.H. Martel's chalk crayères have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.

What they make

Charles de Cazanove Brut is a dry, non vintage Champagne built from 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay. Pinot Noir leads the blend, with Meunier adding a second red grape component and Chardonnay completing the composition.

G.H. Martel Victoire Brut Prestige uses 40% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir and 5% Meunier. Pinot Noir remains the largest share, while Chardonnay makes up a substantial part of the blend and Meunier appears in a small proportion. The two wines present different grape balances within the Brut style.

Sources and notes 5 sources

Note. The acquisition date for Charles de Cazanove under Rapeneau ownership is unclear, and lees ageing durations for the flagship wines are not stated.

Where to go next

placeRead the Champagne guideSee where Champagne G.H Martel & Champagne Charles de Cazanove sits in Champagne.mapFind Champagne G.H Martel & Champagne Charles de Cazanove on the mapThe producer, its region and its neighbours on one map.learningUnderstand ChampagneA short Library guide to Champagne.