La Côte des Bar nell’Aube:
A series of natural conditions are at the root of the uniqueness of the Comte de Montaigne cuvées. First of all, Côte de Bars has a temperate oceanic climate: the exposure to the sun is limited, compensated by the relief of the hills. The rains are regular but moderate. The calcareous and clayey subsoil allows a natural regulation of the heat and humidity: to be precise in winter, the soil keeps the heat and in summer the freshness. These unique characteristics make the Comte de Montaigne champagnes fresh and mineral at the same time.
More than 80% of Côte de Bars is planted with Pinot noir.
The vineyard with its grapes is the very essence of the champagne. The vineyard has to be handled with care, following meticulous procedures handed down from generation to generation, but above all putting a lot of heart and effort in it and looking after the details, like for example planting a rose close to the vineyards: it favours biodiversity and it allows to reveal first potential attacks of iodine.
The balance: another uniqueness of Comte de Montaigne. It is made by skilful dosages between vine varieties, planted in very different places, interrupted by different rivers. This kind of environment can be offered only by Côte des Bar. The calcareous plain gives birth to very contrasting soils. This diversity of soils can allow people to look for a personal expression and a precise vision of the Champagne to be created.
The respect of the soil requires hard and meticulous work and above all, it has to be done with passion.
Comte de Montaigne can count on basic vine varieties of champagne but also on champagne vine varieties more acidic, passing from the most frequent Pinot noir to Chardonnay, from younger to older vineyards.
The roots of the vineyard, after a hard work, have to develop by plunging in the soil, to extract the minerality and the vineyard has to have a short cut to always favour the root compared to the plant.
