“Here is a grower out of the ordinary! With Beaufort you get not neutrality but an exalted, aromatic Pinot Noir, whether from Ambonnay or the l'Aube. The natural expression of his wines will remind older fans of the incomparable Champagne that prevailed before the adoption of industrial agriculture...”—Bettane and Desseauve
ORGANIC/BIODYNAMIC WINERY
We thought we knew all that was possible in Champagne until we discovered the very fine wines of Jacques Beaufort. One accidental glass while in Burgundy captivated us; three years later, after a lengthy courtship and many meetings in the Beaufort family's hand-hewed, chilly stone cellar, we are proud to be one of the first U.S. importers of these extremely limited, 100% biodynamic wines.
Reclusive artist, eccentric farmer, organic pioneer—Jacques Beaufort is all of these. Yet the story of Beaufort Champagne was almost a very short one. In 1969, agriculture nearly cost Jacques his life. The persistent use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides in the vineyards made him gravely ill. Less than two years later he converted completely to organic viticulture, and since then has carried on a thoughtful yet passionate campaign for the complete eradication of chemicals in winemaking.
Jacques makes his own compost from plant and animal sources. He avoids the use of copper and sulfur in the vineyard, as he believes they upset the natural balance of flora and fauna in the fields, using instead his own homeopathic teas and essential oils. Wines are fermented on natural yeasts, and each unique bottle is aged on its fine lees for as long as possible before disgorgement.
Estate vineyards, on average, are about 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The Beaufort family tends about four acres of 20-30 year old vines in Ambonnay, a 100% Grand Cru village on the southeast side of the Montagne de Reims. Approximately 14 additional acres of organic vineyards are located in the village of Polisy, rated 80% Grand Cru. Polisy is found on the Côte des Bar, on the shores of the l'Aube and the gateway to the limestone hills of Burgundy.
Importantly, Jacques Beaufort is a
récoltant-manipulant, or a grower-winemaker, despite the designation you'll find on the label of “NM” (
négociant-manipulant). A father of nine children, Jacques Beaufort created his own family co-op (Saint Jean Baptiste, as noted on the label). This has allowed him to preserve the integrity of the family estate (as French inheritance laws would have required partitioning between siblings) and keep the whole family together and involved in the winemaking process.