Caroline Latrive will succeed Michel Davesne as the next Cellar Master at Champagne Deutz

A woman of terroir and wine

Caroline Latrive’s passion for wine was passed down to her from an early age by her consultant winemaker father. Her career path became apparent through her choice of studies as well as her first internships with prestigious champagne houses such as Piper and Charles Heidsieck, Louis Roederer and Palmer.

She completed a degree in oenology in 1999 and began working with Bollinger where she was responsible for harvesting as well as vinification in vats and oak barrels. This experience instilled in her ‘a great respect for traditions’ and left ‘a long-lasting and enriching impression on her’.

She then joined her father to work for the winemaking consultancy firm Oeno Champagne.

In 2004, Caroline resumed her studies and graduated with a Master’s degree in Oenology and Wine before returning to the Bollinger Group as cellar master for the Ayala Champagne House in January 2012 following the departure of Nicolas Klym.

A joint handover
After 15 years working with Ayala, Caroline Latrive carried out her first harvest at Deutz in tandem with Michel Davesne who has been the Deutz’ Cellar Master since 2003 and is set to retire in a few months’ time.

This collaboration continues:
“We have arranged for the transition to take place over a full harvest cycle, right up until bottling, to ensure that all aspects of the Deutz’ style are fully assimilated and preserved.”

The handover will encompass tastings, gaining an in-depth understanding of the vineyards, working alongside the team members and building relationships with our partner winegrowers.

Our duo of Cellar Masters has known each other for a long time, Michel Davesne having been Caroline’s oenology internship supervisor and also her sponsor at the Amicale des Cellar Masters (cellar master association).

Their shared philosophy of wine and the winemaking process will ensure that the transition goes smoothly and in complete serenity.

Caroline is excited to be joining Deutz and is looking forward to the challenge that awaits her.

She has “Always loved Champagne Deutz for its prestige, history, family values and human scale… values that are all very dear to her“.

Her knowledge and great appreciation of Chardonnay are a nice nod to the House’s iconic ‘Amour de Deutz’ cuvée, which she inherited from President Fabrice Rosset.

The latter is very happy that Caroline Latrive has accepted his proposal. “The good understanding of the duo formed by these two talented oenologists already augurs well for a very good handover in order to preserve the style of the House“.