Where it all
begins
Along the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims, overlooking the town that gives these places their name,
lie the vineyards that give life to Martin des Orsyn champagne wines.
The territory
The Montagne de Reims is one of the areas of the Champagne region. A promontory between the Marne and Vesle rivers, rich in forests and overlooking the city of Reims, where the Kings of France were crowned. At that time it was customary for nobles to pay homage to the new ruler with the precious wine produced in the region.
The environment
The enhancement of biodiversity and respect for the environment together with landscape protection are supported by significant investments in research and innovation in advanced technologies aimed at optimizing the quality of the wines.
The freshness of Pinot Meunier
A dark-skinned grape variety that gives rise to more harmonious and creamy Champagne wines, providing a round, fruity and easy-drinking taste. Unlike Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it has a greater predisposition for shorter aging.
The generosity of Pinot Noir
A dark-skinned grape variety distinguished by its early ripening and preference for cool, chalky soils. It contributes body, power and structure to Champagne wines known for their distinctive aromas of flowers and red fruits.
The elegance of Chardonnay
A robust, early-ripening white grape variety, ideal for chalky soils. Its presence gives Champagne exceptional freshness. The resulting wines are known for their delicate aromas, with floral, citrus and mineral nuances.
Craie & Champagne
What makes of Champagne an unmistakable nectar is the terroir in which it comes to life, characterized by a unique microclimate and, above all, by the craie, the chalky limestone that often comes to the surface and in some places reaches a thickness of over a hundred meters, where the roots of the vines sink, absorbing the minerals that give the grapes their vibrant energy.
The Champenoise method
Preparation of the cuvée
Young wines called vin clairs make up the cuvée, the base wine that will become Champagne. The cuvées can be blended with wines of the same variety or different varieties, including those from different vintages.
Bottling with crown cork
The cuvée is bottled with added yeast and sugar and then sealed with a crown cork.
Maturation in contact with yeasts
The bottles rest horizontally in the cellars. It is at this stage that the yeasts transform the sugars into alcohol as well as carbon dioxide. The latter, as the bottle is sealed, will be absorbed by the wine, giving rise to the perlage of Champagne.
Remuage
Translated as “shaking”, this is the stage in which the bottles are placed in their characteristic tilted position, neck down. Periodically the bottles are rotated, shaken, and the tilt is increased. This allows the residue to collect towards the bottle neck.
Disgorgement
At this stage, the bottle necks are frozen upside down. The residues, which must be removed, freeze and adhere to the crown cap. This is then ejected to remove the frozen sediment.
Dosing
A small amount of wine is lost during disgorgement, and it is restored by adding liqueur d'expédition, which will express the sugar dosage that will characterize the champagne
Corking with a mushroom cork
This is when the bottle is sealed with the classic cork and wire cage.
Poignettage and Mirage
Poignettage, from “poignet” (wrist), is the act of vigorously shaking the bottle once corked to ensure the homogeneity of wine and liqueur. The last step is the mirage, the final visual inspection to verify clarity.