De sousa
Zoemie
The vine has roots called "pivots", which descend up to 10 or 12 meters to extract salts and trace elements from the chalk. When the rooting is deep, the taste of soil is stronger than that of the the vine. The deeper the root is, the farest it is from fertilizers, and the more nutritive elements from the soil it extracts, which guarantees the quality of the grapes.
AOC: Champagne
Production: 70/75 000 bottles DE SOUSA and 30 000 Zoémie DE SOUSA
Vineyard created: before 1890
Surface: 11 Ha
Layout: 42 different lots
Geology: 100% Chalk
Fertilizers: Organic fertlilizers authorized by EC regulations
Pruning: Chablis – Cordon de Royat
Grapes: 30% Pinot Noir – 10% Pinot Meunier – 60% Chardonnay 70% Old vines
Average age of vines: over 45. Grafting : 41 B
Yield per ha: according to the appelation, about 60 hectoliters per ha
Plantation density: 8.000 vines per ha
Plantation of new vines: only when necessary to replace an old one
Antibotrytis treatment: none
Insecticide spraying: only when necessary
Origin of yest: Technical Oenological Center
Fermentation time: 15 to 20 days
Chaptalization: when necessary to obtain 11% vol
Regulation system: immersed cooling coil
Fermentation temperature: 18°C
Vats: Coated steel end barrels
Cuvee wine: 75% in 1992, 100% since then
Filtering: Lightest possible Kiesulguhr
Wine-meaker: Erick De Sousa
Oenological advisor: James Darsonvilles
Vinification in coated steel vats preserve the authenticity of the soil. We managed to have one year of stocks for the blendings.
Since 1995, for the old vines (more than 50 years old), vinification is done in small oak barrels to give matter to the wine.
In the chalk cellar, the temperature is always 10°C. The wine ages and matures slowly in the darkness and perfect quietude.
We keep 2,5 years of poduction in cellar as a buffer stock. The remuage is carried out manually.