Story
Beaufort Frères
Ambonnay · Champagne · France
The historic winery André Beaufort has been cultivating organically since 1969, following the owner Jacques allergy to synthetic compounds.That was when Jacques Beaufort, André’s father, started to work organically and became one of the pioneers in the region that has utilised aromatherapy and homoeopathy to reduce permitted fertilisers. The family owns 6½ hectares of vines, some of which are in Ambonnay on the Montagne de Reims, and the remainder in Polisy in the Aube region, and as of 2018 the estate is run by Constant & Réol Beaufort. The winery is mostly known for its very long sur lies ageing, the high dosage, the minimal sulfite presence in vinification & its use of native yeasts in secondary fermentation.This practice(native yeasts in secondary fermentation) is extremely uncommon even among champagne estates that use natural winemaking methods.It is important to note Jacque's statement: ‘I’m skipping a lot of steps here, but basically, if i dont use synthetic chemical molecules in the vines, the vines’ aromatic cells communicate from the root to the extremity of the vine growth.
“So that’s where you find the perfumes: of terroir, of the variety, and of the weather.’”
