Founded in 1846 by the brothers Jules and Auguste Devaux, today Devaux is owned by the Union Auboise, a co-operative in the Côte des Bar – the heartland of Pinot Noir in Champagne. Physically closer to Chablis than Reims or Épernay, the vines grow on Burgundian soils of Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone. Chef de Cave since 1999, Michel Parisot was named the ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the 2020 International Wine Challenge – an achievement that is testament to Michel’s pioneering approach to winemaking.

`Coeur de Nature` is Devaux’s first fully certified organic Champagne. With a low dosage of 5g/l, it expresses the quality and freshness of Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar and cements Devaux’s position at the forefront of sustainable viticulture in the region. The flagship ‘Collection D’ range uses only the first quarter of the press (the ‘coeur de cuvée’) and is aged for at least five years, contributing to flavour complexity and the integrated mousse. Devaux age most of their reserve wines in oak barrels of different sizes, toasts and ages, which all sourced locally to minimise environmental impact. Intelligent use of oak in Devaux’s wines led Eric Label, Chef de Cave of Krug, to refer to Devaux as “the Krug of the Côte des Bar”.

Vineyards: The grapes are sourced exclusively from certified organic vineyards located across the Côte des Bar. Devaux have been working to convert these vineyards to organic for the last 15 years. Bordering the north of the Côte D’Or and planted on Kimmeridgian chalky marl and limestone soils, sites in Les Riceys contribute structured and complex Pinot Noir. Sites in Neuville sur Seine benefit from the sloped landscape and result in Pinot Noir with excellent ripeness and concentration.

Vinification: Only the first press juice is used and fermented in stainless steel tanks to protect the fruit’s delicate and crisp aromatics. The base wines undergo full malolactic fermentation for well-integrated, but refreshing acidity. 70% of 2019 vintage was blended with 30% of reserve wine prior to bottling. The wine was then aged for a minimum of 24 months on lees with a low dosage of 5g/l to preserve the purest expression of place.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: Cote des Bar - Les Riceys & Neuville sur Seine
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Winemaker: Michel Parisot
Base Vintage: 2019
Reserve wines: 30%
Disgorged: February 2022
Lees Ageing: 2 years
Dosage: 5 g/l
pH: 2.99
Drink now: to 5 years+

Tasting Note: This is a crisp and lively brut Champagne with delicate notes of honeysuckle, stone fruit and toast on the nose. The palate has a refreshing saline edge and mouth-watering acidity, tempered by subtle autolytic notes of biscuit and roasted almond.

Founded in 1846 by the brothers Jules and Auguste Devaux, today Devaux is owned by the Union Auboise, a co-operative in the Côte des Bar – the heartland of Pinot Noir in Champagne. Physically closer to Chablis than Reims or Épernay, the vines grow on Burgundian soils of Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone. Chef de Cave since 1999, Michel Parisot was named the ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the 2020 International Wine Challenge – an achievement that is testament to Michel’s pioneering approach to winemaking.

`Coeur de Nature` is Devaux’s first fully certified organic Champagne. With a low dosage of 5g/l, it expresses the quality and freshness of Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar and cements Devaux’s position at the forefront of sustainable viticulture in the region. The flagship ‘Collection D’ range uses only the first quarter of the press (the ‘coeur de cuvée’) and is aged for at least five years, contributing to flavour complexity and the integrated mousse. The ‘Cuvée D’ comprises a minimum of 40% reserve wines, including wine from two solera systems dating back to 1995 and 2002. The ‘Ultra D’ is a low-dosage Champagne that also contains 40% reserve wines, showing wonderful freshness and length. The ‘D Rosé’ is a blend of 53% Pinot Noir and 47% Chardonnay, with great finesse and hints of red berries. The ‘D Millésimé’ spends over ten years extended ageing on lees and displays exceptional complexity, structure and balance. Devaux age most of their reserve wines in oak barrels of different sizes, toasts and ages, which all sourced locally to minimise environmental impact. Intelligent use of oak in Devaux’s wines led Eric Label, Chef de Cave of Krug, to refer to Devaux as “the Krug of the Côte des Bar”.

The Sténopé is a collaboration between Michel Parisot and renowned winemaker from the Rhône Valley, Michel Chapoutier. Sharing the same philosophy around vineyards and respect for the land, they decided to create an exceptional Champagne that takes a snapshot of a particular vintage – the name means ‘pinhole camera’ in French. Sténopé is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir carefully selected by Michel Parisot from his preferred plots, with only a few thousand bottles produced each year.

Cellar Master: Michel Parisot
Winery Location: Côte des Bar | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Bar
Annual Production (bottles): 750,000