Champagne Fleury are celebrating 30 years of organic and biodynamic wine making this year. The first estate in Champagne to convert to these methods.
Champagne-Asia along with 10 wine professionals from Hong Kong and Macau attended a weekend of activities at the Fleury estate on 22-23 June 2019.
Based in the small and beautiful village of Courteron, in Côte de Bar, Fleury Champagne have been making wine since 1895.
Jean-Pierre Fleury pioneered the conversion of the vineyard back in 1989, and now with his children continues to build the legacy in this new direction. Fleury Champagne has carefully maintained a significant stock of older vintages.
It’s obvious when visiting, that their business and lifestyle is focused on working alongside nature and the community to sustain a fine product. You get a sense of contentment and quiet achievement, but undoubtedly there is a lot of hard work by everyone involved.
The operation is relatively small, with 13 hectares spread behind and up above the estate. The wine making is centralised in their main building at the centre of the village, which has recently been transformed with the edition of an impressive cellar and reception for tastings.
The village literally shut down to be part of the event, and activities included a music concert in the church, river boating on the Seine river, local artisans market, and natural photography exhibition.
We visited the vineyard and learnt about the biodiversity in the area, and the soil composition from renowned expert M. Claude Bourguignon, who was standing on a ladder 10 ft below the ground!
The evening celebration included various wines of Champagne from Fleury including a special cuvée to celebrate the 30 year old milestone, and of course dancing to music from an eclectic 20 member jazz band from Paris.
Champagne-Asia would like to thank Champagne Fleury for their hospitality and wish them all the success they deserve for the next 30 years and beyond.
