Jean Vesselle

Champagne Jean Vesselle figures among the greats of the celebrated French region, a family-run artisanal winery that dedicates its creations to enthusiasts, constantly in search of rarity and distinction, of the element out of the ordinary, so distant from the mass production of the great Maisons: the goal of so much hard work is simply quality and accompanying each wine to reveal its own character, a unique combination of each different terroir. The family's history has been rooted in the Bouzy terroir for more than 3 centuries, having begun in 1692 the activity of tilling these chalky soils: the domaine champenois proper, on the other hand, began its ascent during the 19th century and is today led by the strong personality of Madame Delphine Lemaire-Vesselle.

Jean Vesselle belongs to the ranks of the Recoltant-Manipulant, the category in which wineries that own vineyards, harvest and process their own grapes and market their own bottles appear. The property covers 15 hectares, positioned in well-diversified situations: Bouzy, a village classified 100% Grand Cru within the Montagne de Reims, and Loches-sur-Ource, a small town in the Aube a few kilometers northeast of Riceys, represent the prestigious Pinot Noir terroirs traditionally conducted by the family, with the presence of 10% Chardonnay in the Bouzy area. The scarcity of white grapes is being optimized in more recent years with a 1.5-hectare parcel in Chouilly, a 100% Grand Cru village on the Côte des Blancs, acquired after Delphine's husband David's father retired from the business. The vineyards are managed in reasoned struggle and from 2019 certified Hautes Valeurs Environnementales and Viticulture Durable en Champagne.

Jean Vesselle processes all cuvées in his own winery in Bouzy. Grapes are compulsorily harvested by hand and crushed using pneumatic presses, and fermentations are conducted in thermoregulated tanks. "Petit Clos" is the label that started the experiments in wood vinification in 1995, with the establishment of a dedicated barrique area: a methodology that has been reinforced since 2013 with the acquisition of truncated oak foudres of 45 and 34 hectoliters capacity. The tirage normally takes place in February and stays on the lees last between 2 and 10 years on average. Dulcis in fundo, Vesselle is one of the few vigneron who have breathed new life into the ancient tradition of Œil de Perdrix, the amber Champagne neither rosé nor blanc de noirs.