At A Glance
- Producer type
- French sparkling producer
- Range
- Blanc de Blancs and Rosé
- Named grape
- Chardonnay
- Bottle method
- Traditional method
The Producer
Jean-Louis Denois opened a sparkling winery at Fère-en-Tardenois, northeast of Reims, in 1980. The house draws on five generations of wine expertise and traditional sparkling winemaking knowledge.
Charles de Fère makes base wines specifically for sparkling wine production. First fermentation takes place at low temperature in temperature controlled vats, where the house aims to preserve freshness and develop minerality before the final blends are made.
Place
Fère-en-Tardenois lies northeast of Reims. Charles de Fère operates outside the Champagne appellation, placing its bottles within French sparkling wine rather than Champagne AOC.
The distinction concerns origin and label category. The traditional method keeps the wines within the established family of bottle fermented sparkling wines, while the place separates the house from Champagne's protected appellation.
Wines
The Réserve range includes Charles de Fère Blanc de Blancs Brut and Charles de Fère Rosé Brut. The Blanc de Blancs is made from Chardonnay, while the Rosé provides the range's pink style. Both are produced by the traditional method, with the second fermentation taking place in bottle.
Depending on the intended style, the cuvées age from 3 to 36 months on lees. Lees ageing is the period when sparkling wine rests with its spent yeast after the second fermentation. Longer contact can bring bread and pastry notes, a rounder mousse, and greater aromatic development. Charles de Fère connects this time with a finer bouquet and bubbles with greater elegance.
In The Glass
The range is built around freshness and minerality. Low temperature first fermentation is used to preserve freshness and develop mineral character, while the same base wines bring depth to the final blends.
Traditional method creates the bubbles through a second fermentation in bottle. Lees contact can add savoury yeast notes and soften the feel of the mousse as the wine ages. Blanc de Blancs brings Chardonnay's usual citrus and apple profile, while Rosé styles can bring red fruit alongside the freshness of sparkling wine.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Charles de Fère Blanc de Blancs Brut. It is the Chardonnay wine in the Réserve range, made by the traditional method. The bottle places one grape, one colour and one production method on the label at once.
Chardonnay can bring citrus and apple notes, while traditional method sparkling wine supplies brisk acidity and a fine mousse. The wine offers a direct comparison with the Rosé without changing the house's central focus on bottle fermented sparkling wine.
Final Word
Charles de Fère names its aim as “élégance à la française” and makes base wines specifically for sparkling production.
Sources
- www.charlesdefere.com/en/the-house-charles-de-fere.r-282/our-history.r-292
- www.charlesdefere.com/en/the-house-charles-de-fere.r-282
- www.charlesdefere.com/en/our-profession.r-296/winemaking.r-299
- www.charlesdefere.com/en/our-profession.r-296/ageing.r-302
- www.charlesdefere.com/en/our-wines.r-286/reserve.r-333