This February, I am celebrating the thirteenth anniversary of my love encounter with Champagne Deutz. It was at a picnic on top of Mont Pèlerin in Switzerland that my epicurean boyfriend at the time organized at the occasion of Saint Valentin.
Here, surrounded by the astonishing views 700 meters above Lake Geneva, it was the first time I took a sip of this heavenly nectar. Refreshing, surprising, crisp and clear… with its distinctive notes, Deutz marked my taste memory forever.
Perfectly balanced, of honey golden colour, the Deutz cuvée is anything but mainstream. Mellow and graceful, it evokes associations of the good life: a Sunday afternoon in the apple yard, a deep golden sun beaming over a field of flowers.
Fruity and silky, the bubbles dance on your palate and incite to kiss your vis-à-vis. It is the perfect choice for a romantic date indeed!
So, what do we know about Deutz? Right in the heart of the town Ay, nestled in a vast landscape of 220 hectares, a delightful place where well-being and living well coexist peacefully, is where it all begins.
Founded in 1838, by the association of William Deutz, a negotiant, with Pierre-Hubert Geldermann, a Champagne salesman, the Champagne house Deutz can look back on over 170 years of excellence and is one of the most prestigious champagne brands of all times.
Both founders believed that the soil, the vineyard itself, is the key to great champagne and so they bought top quality plots in the region and started making wine.
The combination of their technical prowess, their marketing skills and their will to succeed allowed them to expand rapidly and to develop the firm internationally.
For generations, the sales of champagne Deutz were thriving, the business was consistently growing and taking its place among the great Houses of Champagne. Deutz even became a founding member of the Syndicat des Grandes Marques.
But then, in the 30s, the Great Depression came, followed by the war. How to get a Champagne house through these tough times with no money, no bottles and no men to make the wine?
Deutz survived this difficult period, however, and while maintaining many of the winemaking techniques passed on through generations, Deutz also implemented a number of technical upgrades: finer presses, a better tank room, and an improved disgorgement.
Deutz partnered with Montana Wines, a New Zealand based producer, in order to make sparkling wines in the Marlborough region and in the 90s, the majority of the property was acquired by the Louis Roederer group. Since then, Deutz was awarded many medals and prizes for its outstanding champagnes.
Family is the red thread that weaves through the history of Deutz and to this day, decedents of the founders still actively participate in the business. Jean Lallier, the sixth generation descendant of founder William Deutz, owns 42 hectares of vineyards in the village of Aÿ and a magnificent residence in Bellepoque style.
Fitting for Valentine’s, and any other occasion to celebrate love, among both vintage and non-vintage champagnes, the House also produces the prestigious cuvé “Amour de Deutz”.
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