Yves Couvreur is heir of ten generations of wine growers, on his father’s side as well as his mother’s! Since 1644, his ancestors plough the Rilly-la-Montagne vineyard classed First Growth. With not less than six brands of Champagne with the same name “Couvreur” in the village, Yves stands out from the other natives thanks to a vineyard certified of HEV.
As from his professional baccalauréat, Yves Couvreur trains on the go by helping his father in the vineyard. In 1984, he creates his own estate and prints his name and forename on the label. From the 90s, he involves his estate in integrated farming and initiates a long research in the understanding of his soils.
In April 2014, his vineyard is certified of High Environmental Value (HEV): the water is saved by water-air spraying and the rain water is collected; the areas not worked like the embankments are planted with bushes to let birds nestle and insects develop; nitrates are limited thanks to the use of organic fertilizers and the creation of grass-covered paths every two rows; treatments are reduced and in accordance with the dose approved by the Ministy [of Agriculture]. “All these cares, he confides, have given our wines more aromas and minerality.”
Only wine grower of Rilly-la-Montagne with a HVE certification, his estate spreads over 6.70 ha, three crus Rilly-la-Montagne, Montbré and Taissy, and is planted with three grape varieties (2.25 ha of Chardonnay; 1.54 ha of Pinot Meunier; 2.91 ha of Pinot Noir). “I worked a lineage of vintage cuvées for each grape variety, he explains.
My father, like a forerunner, dared to introduce Chardonnay in 1955 at Rilly-la-Montagne, a terroir of black grapes. To succeed, he chose a plot of land on a subsoil of belemnite chalk with fossilized shells ensuring to give the wine a good structure and a iodized, salty taste to his Champagne. He created a non-vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs that I re-named Audace and that I declared vintage. Now on sale: the 2008.”
Other grape variety, other vintage. With the Pinot Noirs from the Mountain of Reims, he crafted a Blanc de Noirs, vintage 2010. “On these hillsides where the earth lets the grape develop its natural taste, wines are growing in an eco-friendly spirit. Their aromatic range suggested me the name of Expression 2010.”
More astonishing, Yves declared vintage 2009 a Pinot Meunier that he called Ephémère. “This last variety needs to be harvested within the 48 hours of its maturity and is not chaptalized at harvest”. Delivered ready to drink, source of immediate pleasure, its fruitness and roundness make it really appealing.
“The work of the land, on a terroir classed First Growth, enhances the intensity of the grape varieties that become more chewy and gain length on the palate and balance”. This wine grower works like a craftsman, he is a breeder! “My pleasure is to sublimate in the vatroom the maturity of the grape varieties and their differences marked by the terroir!
In 2014, my best-seller in the range of vintage cuvées is Prestige 2010. This cuvée matches in equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and offers an empire of aromas. The vintages, Yves Couvreur confides, represent my biggest progress in sales. They appeal to a clientele of well-informed connoisseurs. My vintage Champagnes are to be appreciated in the end of the day, to take time, to love them better … ” ! Fond of wine tourism, Yves develops lifestyle in Champagne.
Marie-Caroline Bourrellis
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