At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Region
- Champagne, Marne Valley
- Position
- Right bank of the Marne
- Producer
- Récoltant manipulant with in house vinification
- Main grapes
- Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Cuvées
- Brut Réserve, Terre d'Origine and Blanc de Blancs
The Producer
In 1996, Champagne Marteaux built a pressing center to bring this key stage of Champagne preparation in house. Two years later, Olivier Marteaux took over from his father Joël and became a récoltant manipulant, developing vinification at the family estate. Since 2009, the Champagne has been produced under the Olivier Marteaux name.
The family line began with Marcel Marteaux, who became a winemaker and developed a vine nursery in the 1950s. His son Joël extended the vineyard and created the Champagne Marteaux Guyard brand. Farming follows sustainable principles, with organic fertilizer and grass strips between rows to limit erosion.
Place
The vineyards sit on the right bank of the Marne in the Marne Valley. The estate covers approximately 8 to 9 hectares across about 40 individual parcels and five communes: Azy-sur-Marne, Bonneil, Charly, Essomez and Romery.
This spread places several Champagne addresses inside one family estate. The range includes Meunier led wines, a reserve cuvée with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and a Blanc de Blancs from Marne Valley terroir.
Wines
The house has made six distinct Champagne cuvées. Brut Réserve is primarily Pinot Meunier, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and includes 20 to 30 percent reserve wines for consistency.
Terre d'Origine is an extra brut vintage wine from 85 percent Meunier and 15 percent Pinot Noir, with a dosage of 2 grams per litre. The Blanc de Blancs provides the white grape style. In Champagne, Blanc de Blancs means a wine made from white grapes, most often Chardonnay.
In The Glass
Terre d'Origine stays fresh, with yellow fruit aromas marked by evolution. Its low dosage leaves the fruit profile dry and direct.
Brut Réserve has a bright yellow colour, a persistent fruity fragrance and fine bubbles. The attack is silky, and the mousse moves gently across the palate.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose the Blanc de Blancs. The 2017 vintage has a golden robe, ripe to confited fruit aromas and a round profile. It puts a single vintage white wine at the front of the range, alongside the Meunier led and reserve wines.
Final Word
After harvest, the grapes go to the family press, and vinification takes place in temperature regulated stainless steel vats. The bottles then remain in the cellars for years before sale.
Sources
- growerschampagne.com/champagne-marteaux
- www.champagnedevignerons.fr/vignerons/champagne-olivier-marteaux
- www.hachette-vins.com/guide-vins/producteurs/67080/champagne-olivier-marteaux
- www.lesgrappes.com/en/products/champagne-champagnemarteaux-brutreserve-blanc
- ed-champ.fr/gb/laetitia-et-olivier-marteaux/141-champagne-brut-reserve-olivier-et-laetitia-marteaux.html