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.

Vineyards: The Cuvee 'D' wines are Devaux's best wines; the grapes are the very best quality of Champagne, and so the growers are paid accordingly. Devaux are Rosé specialists. The majority of their vineyards are located in the Aube where Pinot Noir is the dominant variety. This location, on the slopes of the Côte des Bars, is important; it gives a lovely richness on the nose and a long finish. Uniquely, almost half of this blend is Chardonnay, giving a delicacy not usually found in most Rosés. The high quality of the fruit from these vineyards ensure that the final dosage is lower than many Rosés.

Vinification: The fermentation and malolactic fermentation are in stainless steel. This Rosé is made traditionally, by the addition of Pinot Noir still wine (which forms 11% of the total). The liqueur de tirage is added and the wine undergoes a slow second fermentation in bottle and extended ageing on its lees for five years (the legal minimum is 15 months). This results in a wine with a finer, more persistent mousse and greater potential for complexity. After disgorgement, the wine receives a light Brut dosage of 6g/l.

Weather: The 2009 vintage was a continental, sunny year with a real winter that was very cold and dry followed by a glorious sun-filled summer and almost no rain in August and September. The harvest was incomparable in terms of quality and produced consistent, fresh and crunchy grapes.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru | Chardonnay: Montgueux and Chouilly | Pinot Noir: Cotes des Bar and Vertus (10% vinified in red wine, grapes sourced from Les Riceys)
Grape Varieties: 47% Chardonnay | 53% Pinot Noir
Winemaker: Michel Parisot
Red Wine: 10%
Base Vintage: 2009
Disgorged: April 2019
Lees Ageing: 9 years
Dosage: 6 g/l
Drink now: to 5 years

Tasting Note: This is the most delicate of the Devaux Rosé Champagnes with the greater percentage of Chardonnay contributing a firm, elegant freshness to the palate. Fresh red fruit aromas from the Pinot Noir combine with a hint of hazelnut complexity which was encouraged by extended ageing on the lees when in bottle.

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