Champagne Louis Dousset Verzenay Grand Cru

IN SEARCH OF QUINTESSENCE

Welcome to Verzenay, a small village on the Montagne de Reims in the heart of Champagne's Grand Cru terroirs, and home to the House of Louis Dousset. Since 1844, our family has taken great care to work our vines, in the heart of each plot, at the foot of each vine. Withrespect for the terroir and the plant, our estate strives to work the land and the vines with the right balance between ancestral methods and new technologies.

The main principles of biodynamic viticulture are combined with sustainable viticulture to work the vines and produce our Champagnes.With an average age of 46 years, some of our plots are over 80 years old, giving our estate's heritage and our Champagnes an exceptional quality.Today, Jean-Roch Floquet, grandson of Louis Dousset,runs the estate and is responsible for both the cultivation of the vines and the blending of the House's wines, striving at all times to express the terroir and maintain the consistent quality of Louis Dousset Champagnes.

Champagnes Louis Dousset,the expression of terroir.

THE FAMILY SAGA

In 1844, Léopold Dousset left his native village of Couvignon in the Aisne to settle in Verzenay, a small village in Champagne classified as a Grand Cru. As a winegrower, he developed a distilling business in the region, which enabled his son Eugène, father of Louis Dousset, to invest in plots of vines. From 1976 onwards, Louis Dousset devoted itself exclusively to Champagne in the heart of the Montagne de Reims. In 1998, Jean Roch Floquet, Louis' grandson, took over the management of the company and positioned Louis Dousset Champagnes in the continuity of the Champagne tradition, while relying on innovative winemaking techniques.

By concentrating its work in the vineyards on a limited number of meticulously selected plots,
the House displays a resolutely modern style based on the empirical tasting of distinguished grape varieties and vintages.

THE SECRET OF TERROIR

At the gateway to Paris lies a magnificent vineyard. The vines stretch over a 200 km-long ribbon, clinging to pretty, open hills. This situation is particularly favourable for northern vineyards, as the vines find themselves in a sunny, well-ventilated position on soils that drain well, and are less exposed to spring frosts than on the plains. The subsoil, a major characteristic of the Champagne terroir, uncovers chalk. Chalk is undeniably the driving force behind Champagne vines. It is formed from the skeletons of fossilized marine micro-organisms, making it a veritable reservoir of water, providing the plant with an adequate supply of water during dry summers. Vines generally face east and/or south. However, some are found on northern slopes, where they are said to be "upside down". Not the least of these are the terroirs of Mailly and Verzenay, cradle of the House's Grands Crus parcels Louis Dousset. This may seem paradoxical for a northern vineyard, but if we consider that the Montagne de Reims provides all its terroirs with natural shelter from winds that are unfavorable to vines, and that this northern exposure favors the development of concentrated, resistant grapes... this means that we grow healthy, vigorous, lively and pure vines.

The very special attention we pay to our vineyards is the foundation of our company.
This is what enables us to offer you, each new season, a range of wines with elegant impertinence... with remarkable complexity.

AROUND THE CHAI

Jean-Roch Floquet, grandson of Louis Dousset and the company's oenologist, attaches great importance to wine ageing. Time is our most precious ally. The passion for Champagne that drives him, allows Louis Dousset to go beyond simple amateur tastings, and invite itself to the tables of great names in the restaurant trade, knowing how to find its place in the best cellars near you. The simplicity of its living force, the complexity of its blends across its entire range of wines, give Louis Dousset Champagnes an atypical character, combining elegance and purity, power and subtlety, straightforwardness and finesse.

A universe of sensations to discover and enjoy at any moment in life.

IN SEARCH OF BALANCE

Our vines are an average of 42 years old. This age, which means that some of our plots are over 80 years old, makes Louis Dousset one of the most sumptuous estates in Champagne, with almost 8 hectares of vines. In order to achieve excellence, the house is committed to caring for its vines from the outset, in the heart of the furrows, at the feet of the porcini mushrooms. With respect and special care, the house pays particular attention to nourishing the soil in a healthy and vigilant way.
The balance between ancient ancestral methods and new contemporary technologies also contributes to the blending process of our wines and the culture raisonnée. In this vein, biodynamic viticulture is gaining ground within the company.

We are constantly on the lookout for the best blends, so that you can always enjoy our wines to the full.

THE PERCEPTION OF A MOMENT, THE MASTERY OF TIME

Define the moment of harvest. Controlling the natural balance between sugar and acidity in EVERY plot and harvesting at the best moment: preferably at night or early in the morning, when the freshness maintains the concentrated aromas and all its sugars for the pressing stage.
Thermo-controlled alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats heralds the arrival of the glass bottles in the cellars after 6 months. Blending by Jean-Roch Floquet, head of the family and oenologist, is a perpetual quest for the quintessence of a wine with magnified aromas. Maintaining the House's signature through the skilful balance between harvested and reserve wines, between Chardonnays and Pinots... Creating and mastering the balance between freshness and power, elegance and presence... between the complexity of Pinot Noir and the finesse of Chardonnay...

Keeping all the promises of the House Louis Dousset, and surprising you even more with each tasting.

THE IMPRESSION OF A HOUSE, ITS SIGNATURE
Since 1844, all the expertise of the House Louis Dousset, hasbeen devoted to magnifying what nature has provided. An exceptional Grand Cru terroir and a relevant orientation are the foundations of our philosophy. Careful attention to the vines is an extension of this philosophy. Careful blending and patience in the cellar are the culmination. La Maison Louis Dousset offers you a harmonious range of wines to accompany you at every moment of your life. Discover or rediscover our range.

Champagnes Louis Dousset, the expression of terroir.

Champagne LOUIS DOUSSET

Situated on the Grands Crus of the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims, our estate currently cultivates around 8 hectares of vines planted exclusively with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These 2 grape varieties, with their different characters, enable us to strike a balance between freshness and power, elegance and aromatic presence.In its quest for excellence, Domaine Louis Doussetkeeps its cuvées in its cellars for a minimum of 4 years, to give its wines the roundness, effervescence and minerality that characterize the quintessence of their terroir of origin.

Champagnes Louis Dousset, the expression of terroir.