Champagne Dampierre

Like the most prestigious Champagne houses, Dampierre Champagnes are made only from exceptional grapes from selected Premier Crus and Grand Crus vineyards and only from the two traditional grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For Chardonnay, the selection comes from the best villages and their soils of the Côtes de Blancs: Avize, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger. The Pinot Noir grapes are the jewels of the Montagne de Reims, coming from Bouzy, Ambonnay and Cumières.

From non-vintage Brut to “Cuvée des Ambassadeurs” and to the special vintage cuvees, Dampierre Champagnes are renowned as nectars with a fine, long-lasting mousse. Perfect blends of refinement and distinction!

Traditional style tying: noblesse oblige
This craft-man’s work dates back to the XVIIIth century. Traditional tying symbolizes French luxury and sets off the elite vintages: Family Reserve and Cuvée Prestige.

A twine seal rather than a metal hood!
When de Dampierre ancestors started to sell their first bottles of great cuvees, they were sealing the corks onto the bottle by mean of a locally produced twine, made of hemp. This tradition had long ago become part of the Dampierre unique identity.

“Ficelage” is the ancestral method of tying the cork to the bottle with twine and is an ageold tradition that requires immense skill: concentration and finesse are essential in the art of tying as in many handicraft, time is here of the utmost importance.

Even an expert only completes 50 corks in an hour. The “ficeleur” ties intricate knots whilst the twine is still attached to the ball and then cuts both ends; this process is repeated twice, forming a cross on the top of the cork.

Early 1992, the first bottles of special cuvee sealed of twine, our Family Reserve, was sold to our agents in the United States, helping greatly to build Comtes de Dampierre as a unique brand of Champagne. Today, both our Prestige cuvees and the whole “Ambassadeurs” range of Champagne are available with their unique seal. Japan has, last year, been the first export market to ask us to supply the entire range sealed in the traditional way.

The art of beautiful manners
Champagne is the very symbol of luxury “à la française” and has always lent itself to all fantasies and extravagances.

By setting his elite vintages off with this touch of traditional handicraft, the twine hood sealing, Champagne Comtes de Dampierre offers all the lovers of the French “art de vivre” an occasion to experience the elegance of bespoken products and the quintessence of beautiful manners.

To make his aesthete’s dream come true and pay homage to French expertise, Audoin de Dampierre did not hesitate to resort to old tools which were used more than two centuries ago to perform this delicate operation. Ultimate refinement: the bottles are presented in precious caskets with a pair of little golden scissors.

The ceremony of opening is thus adorned with a touch of class, blending beautiful gestures and good taste. Once the twine has been cut, the cork is delicately removed so as to emit a slight carbon dioxide sigh.

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