Quentin BeaufortÂ
– Champagne, France
Quentin Beaufort and his wife, Alice, serendipitously discovered a promising 1.5-hectare vineyard in 2007, nestled just 7 kilometers from the Champagne border. The terroir mirrored the revered Champagne villages of Celles-sur-Ource and Polisy, with its clay and limestone-rich soil, setting the stage for exceptional sparkling wines. The duo ensures that only the ripest and healthiest grapes are selected for vinification during the harvest.
In their vineyard, a hands-on approach defines their winemaking process. Their philosophy aligns with that of the marketing agents of Champagne houses’, emphasizing the complete naturalness of their winemaking. Unlike many though, they abstain from introducing yeast, bacteria, enzymes, and similar additives. Their wine is untouched by fining or filtration. They do not chaptalize nor acidify. They forgo any cold or hot temperature control, letting nature take its course, with natural cooling during the winter months. While it may seem like they do nothing, they firmly believe that with ripe fruit and meticulous vineyard management, the wine has all it needs to remain balanced.
Their sulfite regimen involves burning “sulfur flowers” – the most natural sulfur source – inside the barrels before fermentation commences, resulting in extremely low sulfur levels.
Their Petit Beaufort wine accompanies the oysters at Camping Culinair! It’s also an ideal companion for festive tables with classic Christmas flavors like frangipane and Douglas fir.
