Champagne Deutz

Founded in 1838, the renown of Champagne Deutz (pronounced ‘dertz’) is long-established. A founding member of Champagne’s prestigious Grandes Marques, the house is based in the village of Aÿ on the south-facing slopes of the Montagne de Reims. And as anyone who’s been chased off a village café terrace in the summer in search of shade will know, this exposure means plenty of sun. Such an exposure helps the red grapes to ripen and sure enough, these slopes are home to some of the region’s most sought-after Pinot Noir. Deutz – which harnesses a significant proportion of its own vineyards in its wines - has a justifiably strong reputation with the variety.

In some ways Deutz is quite an understated Champagne house; professionalism and attention to detail are more its style than celebrity glitz and red-carpet bling. It’s a philosophy that filters through into the wines themselves. No oak is used in the production process – the style is one of fruit purity, with extra layers of texture and complexity created through time spent ageing on lees in the chalk-walled cellars deep below the streets of Aÿ: three years for the Brut Classic, up to ten years for the cuvée William Deutz. These are wines of finesse, elegance and – particularly for the vintage and prestige cuvee expressions, where the Pinot Noir percentage is at its highest – serious gastronomic potential. Think lobster, langoustine or tuna steak.