DEUTZ CHAMPAGNE: FOCUS ON QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY
Why we think champagne from the house of Deutz is absolutely great? Quite simply: because it is great! Above all, because it has retained its uniqueness, its unmistakable character, its class over almost two centuries. You can simply “taste” that its grapes grow on decades-old vines - predominantly Grand and Premier Cru growths that draw their strength from the limestone and chalk terroir in the heart of Champagne. Which grow on vineyards that are sustainably farmed, then as now.
Deutz grapes are of officially certified superior quality: in the quality ranking, they average 94%, making them among the best in all of Champagne. The “Brut Classic,” the best-selling and internationally renowned Deutz Champagne, even achieves 97%. Whoʼs surprised, after all, that the house only processes grapes from the best growing areas in Champagne, all of which are located around the stately “Maison Deutz” in the historic Champagne village of Aÿ. The founder of the winery, William Deutz, therefore acted extremely wisely and with foresight when he settled in Aÿ, of all places, with his partner Peter Geldermann in 1838. From here, within a radius of about 30 kilometers, are the highest class and most important vineyards of the entire Champagne region. Determined and knowledgeable, Deutz set about securing the best sites. Where he did not buy himself, he concluded contracts with the owners there, thus binding them to his house for the long term. An approach that the descendants of the founders have always maintained: Today, about 60 producers supply their top grapes exclusively to the House of Deutz.
200 HECTARES OF THE BEST CHAMPAGNE TERROIR
Currently, there are about 200 hectares (about 40 of which are self-owned) that grow the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes that make Deutz Champagne great. Most come from the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims region, with some also from the Aÿ area itself, located in the middle of the Vallée de la Marne. Truly the best sites!
And so, then as now, no champagne lover can avoid “Deutz”. “Deutz” is name, seal of approval and quality guarantor at the same time. A Deutz champagne is enjoyed by connoisseurs and beginners alike, because for all its greatness and high quality, it is an uncomplicated, wonderful drink: neither complicated nor pretentious, always clear and fresh, but by no means simple. Its complexity, elegance and authenticity are praised by champagne experts of all sorts. Deutz is a charming Frenchman that conveys “savoir vivre”, the lightness of life, in a pleasantly sparkling way. A champagne for every occasion - and for very special events.
LOVE AND PASSION FOR CHAMPAGNE - FROM 1838 TO TODAY
The House of Deutz has been ambitious from the very beginning. This had struck when two young champagne connoisseurs from Aachen fell in love with the landscape and the French way of life and decided to found their own company in the small town of Aÿ, idyllically located in the best vineyards of the Champagne region: “Deutz and Geldermann” was born. Even though William Deutz and Peter Geldermann did not own any vines at first, their business flourished from the very beginning - as the young entrepreneurs disgorged already bottled cuvées, i.e. removed the yeast sediment frozen in the neck of the bottle, filled the bottles with the “dosage” of wine and sugar, corked and labeled them. Just a few decades later, however - after acquiring its own vineyards and working closely with producers in the region - Deutz & Geldermann was already a highly successful champagne producer. The sons of the company’s founders continued to run the business in the tradition of their fathers, securing the company a place among the most prestigious champagne houses during the “Second Empire”, the Napoleonic era, supplying European royalty, the top echelons of society and top gastronomy in England, Russia and Germany. It was not until the third generation that the company had to navigate through rough waters, most notably during the winemakers’ revolts in 1911 that the winery and its associated vineyards suffered severe damage, though this was quickly repaired. The First World War, the world economic crisis in the 1930s and the Second World War dealt further blows to Deutz & Geldermann, and sales fell ominously. But over and over again the company recovered, saved in part by the use of Deutzʼs family fortune.
In the 1920s, the French company literally crossed a border: a branch initially founded in Alsace was relocated to Breisach am Rhein in Baden in 1924: the “Sektkellerei Deutz & Geldermann”. This move led to a separation more than 40 years later: since the late 1980s there was the Champagne producer “Champagne Deutz,” which remained in France, and the German sparkling wine producer “Badische Geldermann Privat-Sektkellerei.” During this period, Champagne Deutz weakened noticeably and suffered financial and quality losses until it was taken over by Louis Roederer in 1993. He succeeded in overcoming all difficulties and bringing the quality of the champagne back to top level - without betraying the traditional Deutz philosophy. The values and demands of William Deutz and Peter Geldermann have been and remain true to this day; even under Roederer’s leadership, the top maxim for all Deutz champagnes continues to be: quality and consistency - and the preservation of their unmistakable character.
CHAMPAGNE DEUTZ: ALSO HIGHLY REGARDED IN ITS OWN COUNTRY
The fact that this tradition is held in high esteem, respected and downright loved, is also evidenced by the elegant winery itself. In the “Maison Deutz,” which was built during the “Second Empire,” everything breathes history - from the architecture and the true-to-the-original furnishings with portraits of the founding fathers on the walls to the magnificent archway at the entrance and the golden lettering on the gate to the in-house museum. The fine champagne special editions that the house regularly releases also repeatedly refer to the company’s history. For example, the “Amour de Deutz” 1999 luxury bottle in a gold-trimmed, white leather “suitcase,” which is intended to recall the travels of the young William Deutz. Or the “Amour de Deutz” 2000 special edition in flaming red packaging designed to evoke the Second Empire.
“Champagne Deutz” today is a champagne house that masterfully combines past and present: state-of-the-art technology and state-of-the-art craftsmanship, a commitment to traditional values and respect for the vines - everything always with a focus on the origin of the grapes, the terroir. Sustainability is not a newfangled buzzword here, but has always been practiced. This is proven - in addition to the type of cultivation - by the approximately 60 regional winegrowers alone, most of whom have been tied to the “Maison Deutz” for generations, with some of whom no written contracts have even been concluded, as trust prevails and a handshake is sufficient. These winemakers prefer to entrust their top grapes to the comparatively small, but just fine Deutz winery, because they know that this preserves the greatest possible diversity of taste.
However, “Deutz Champagne” is certainly not a small company. Today, over two million bottles are produced annually, and there are currently around nine million bottles in the cellars. Just the right size, say connoisseurs, so that the company can deliver enough, but still remain authentic. This authenticity, which has always been attributed to Deutz champagne, is also matched by the fact that Deutz - in contrast to many of its competitors - exports only about 45 percent of its products and thus mainly supplies the highly demanding champagne country of France.
OUR DEUTZ CHAMPAGNES: THE BEST OF THE BEST
Fortunately, we are also allowed to enjoy the great products from Aÿ. Currently, we have some of the best drops from the house of Deutz in our assortment: the Brut Classic, the Cuvée William Deutz, and from the top range of “Amour de Deutz” the Amour de Deutz Rosé and Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs from the vintages 2007 to 2010.
Deutz Brut Classic
“Quality and consistency” are what the Deutz Champagne winemakers themselves call the supporting claims for their Brut Classic, which makes up the majority of the total production and enjoys international renown. This balanced, elegant and expressive champagne with the typical Deutz character, a cuvée of one third each of the grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, is, so to speak, the company’s “flagship”. The reliable quality is achieved, among other things, by adding up to 45 percent high-class reserve wine from previous vintages to this champagne in addition to the base wine of the current vintage.
Cuvée William Deutz
Two-thirds Pinot Noir, one-third Chardonnay, and a small portion Pinot Meunier: Voilà the Cuvée William Deutz - the homage to the company founder and perhaps the most powerful and distinctive product of his descendants. Sustained perlage, fruity-floral bouquet and rich complexity characterize this mature, smooth Champagne.
Amour de Deutz
Love plays a leading role in the Deutz company: love of the land and the vines, love of tradition and the craft of champagne production, love of the good and the beautiful. This love is embodied not only by the small statue of Cupid that decorates the courtyard of the winery, but also by the top range “Amour de Deutz”, named after this very (stone) god of love.
Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs
The first bottles of the “Amour de Deutz” segment came onto the market at the end of the last millennium as pure Chardonnay champagnes. The precious, carefully selected “Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs” is quite rightly counted among the best Blanc de Blancs. Only grapes from the best vintages have the honor of being processed for it; moreover, it is only produced in limited quantities - a maximum of 40,000 bottles. On the company’s website, Russian champagne expert Alexander Gubsky is quoted as saying: “If we had to personify it, it would most certainly be female: a beautiful young woman with a sparkling, cheerful and charming personality. A young woman who will truly come into her own over the next few years to embody the grace of an elegant, serious yet still very seductive lady.”
Amour de Deutz Rosé
The stars of the “Cuvées de Prestige” have long included the “Amour de Deutz Rosé“, the youngest and extremely successful offspring of the champagne dynasty. “This rosé champagne is a milestone for us, marked by (...) the desire to do even better (...) It is the purest embodiment of the Deutz style,” says Deutz president Fabrice Rosset. In this rosé champagne, the best Pinot Noir (65%) and Chardonnay (35%) grapes enter into a perfect union. Together they mature into an outstandingly elegant, harmonious and downright seductive rosé champagne. With its warm color, complex aromas and fine perlage, we recommend it most as a companion to emotional and extraordinary moments ...
... and wish you that you will soon again experience such a moment to open a good Deutz Champagne!
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