Cristian Senez

House · Fontette (Essoyes) · founded 1973

Cristian Senez is a family Champagne house in Fontette, a hamlet of Essoyes in the Côte des Bar (Aube); the Union des Maisons de Champagne gives 1973 as its founding year and 28 ha of own vineyard.1

History

According to the house, Cristian Senez, born in 1937, worked as a grower and from 1960 as cellar and press manager at the Fontette cooperative.3 With his wife Josette he began building the house in 1970.3 The first press and a harvest building (vendangeoir) were installed in 1973 and the cellar was built in 1974; the couple kept 30% of their crop to make their first Champagne.3

The house writes that exports to the Netherlands and England began in 1980 and that in 1985 it became a négociant to meet demand.3 In 2001 management passed to their daughter Angélique and her husband Frédéric, and their granddaughter Marion joined in 2019.3 The house obtained Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification in 2020.3

Today

The UMC profile gives the group as Ste Marion RS and 28 ha of own vineyard in 3 villages.1 Its brand list includes Grande réserve, Carte Blanche, Carte Verte, Cuvée Renoir, Brut Nature and Rosé de saignée.1 The house also makes still Coteaux Champenois wines, first made in 1971.3

See also

Côte des BarRegionsCoteaux ChampenoisRegionsnégociantGlossaryChampagne label codes: NM, RM, CM, RC, SR, ND, MAStylesWhen the Champagne houses were foundedHistory

Sources

  1. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Cristian Senez (UMC profile)
  2. Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC). The Champagne Houses (member list)
  3. La maison (Champagne Cristian Senez, official site)

Facts checked on 2026-10-21