Cuperly

History

According to the house, Charles Cuperly founded a wine trading business in 1845.¹ It says Napoleon III tasted its first cuvées at the Camp de Châlons, created at Mourmelon in 1857; this is the house's account.¹ Auguste Cuperly took over in 1882 and drew up a quality charter in 1884; after his marriage to Lucie Angèle Etienne in 1889 the house traded as Cuperly-Etienne.¹ Robert Cuperly married Hermance Lecompère, from Verzy, in 1919; together they built up a vineyard in Verzy, where she set up the head office.¹

Later generations

Jean Cuperly ran the house from 1955, and Andrée Cuperly became its president in 1967; her son Gérard worked with her from that year and bought further plots on the Montagne de Reims.¹ Sophie Cuperly joined in 1997 and has been president since 2013; the house counts eight generations of family ownership.¹

Vineyard

The UMC gives 10 ha in 2 villages.² The house's site names three grand cru villages for its vines: Verzy, Verzenay and Mailly-Champagne.⁴ It also mentions hand harvesting and fermentation in oak casks.⁵ See grand cru.