René Geoffroy

History

The estate traces the family's roots in Cumières to the 17th century.² In the early 1950s Roger Geoffroy and his wife Julienne began bottling their own wine, under the Roger Geoffroy name. Their son René, whom the estate describes as a récoltant-manipulant at heart, continued with his wife Bernadette.² Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy joined at the end of the 1980s, and in 2008 he and his wife Karine moved winemaking and sales to a late 19th century house in Aÿ.² The estate tags itself as being in its fourth generation.¹

Vineyard

The 14 ha lie on the slopes of Cumières, Damery, Hautvillers and Fleury-la-Rivière, in 35 plots, in the Vallée de la Marne. Plantings are 42% Pinot Noir, 34% Meunier and 24% Chardonnay.² The soils are ploughed, without herbicides, with natural grass cover and organic manure.²

Cellar

Grapes are pressed in Aÿ on two traditional coquard presses, and the juice moves by gravity. Wines ferment in enamelled vats, foudres, barriques and demi-muids. The estate avoids malolactic fermentation and ages bottles for 3 to 8 years.²

Wines

The range includes Expression, Pureté, Empreinte (blanc de noirs), Volupté (blanc de blancs), a Rosé de Saignée, single-plot cuvées and still red Cumières (Coteaux Champenois).¹ See Coteaux Champenois and grower champagne.