Champagne Patrice Huart

It was a wonderful afternoon for a drive in the countryside. The much appreciated sun basked the sleepy villages and lush green slopes of the Sarce valley. I was on my way to visit Champagne Patrice Huart in Bragelogne-Beauvoir just one village away from the end of the valley.

The green building where he and his son make their Champagne was just on the right after a church that had been badly damaged in 1944. The vines facing their building sloped down into the valley. An elderly French couple were waiting for a visit and tasting when I arrived. M. Huart and his son took a break from working in the vines to greet us.

Over the next hour there was a dialogue rather than a presentation. The husband of the couple had many questions and the Huarts were only too happy to answer them. In the background I could hear the sound of bottles clinking as they were being loaded into wire crates.

Patrice had taken over some of his family’s vines almost 30 years ago. He only started making his own Champagne in the 1990’s. Vivian , his son, joined him in 2008.

They have 6.5 ha of vines in Bragelogne and 3 other villages. These are cultivated with a respect for the enviroment . The Huarts grow mainly Pinot Noir. There’s some Chardonnay and a little Pinot Meunier. They’re now growing a fourth grape variety , Pinot Blanc. The Champagne made from this can be expected some time in the near future.

During the visit I was impressed by the investment this small winery had made in the latest equipment for working in the vines as well as parts of the Champagne making process. They had also bought a 600 litre oak barrel that was there to provide it’s own special flavours to their Champagne.

The Huarts make 30,000 bottles a year. These are sold in France and the countries surrounding it. They have a range of 5 different Champagnes.We drove a short distance to a well restored farmhouse to taste some of them.

The conversation picked up again over a long leisurely tasting with well filled glasses . The elderly couple left with two cases of Champagne which they were certain their friends and family would like as much as them. This was the simple way the Huarts create their loyal army of customers.

Visits and tastings by reservation . French only.

www.champagne-patrice-huart.fr