Champagne De Sousa - Champagne, France
Champagne these last twenty years has completely changed, as has the work at Champagne De Sousa. They have increased quality again and again. These new ways mark the shift of a generation.
Our long time friend Peter Liem wrote this about De Sousa not long ago:
De Sousa places a strong emphasis on natural work in the vines, and has been working with biodynamics since 1999. Today, all of his vineyards in the grand cru villages of the Côte des Blancs are cultivated biodynamically (the others being too far away to work effectively). In addition, he has been plowing some of his vineyards by horse since 2009, in an effort to reduce compaction of the soil and to develop a greater proliferation of microorganisms, which are ultimately responsible for transmitting mineral character through the vines and into the wine. Today, two hectares of his oldest vines in Avize and Oger are plowed by horse, with the intention to expand this in the future, and De Sousa also intends to release a separate cuvée from these vines in the coming years.
De Sousa’s champagnes are bold, assertive and rich, while also demonstrating a marked complexity and finesse. It’s no accident that De Sousa is found in many of France’s best restaurants, as the refined demeanor of the wines seems to naturally complement the sophistication of haute cuisine . The wines tend to be very dry: the entry-level non-vintage wines are usually dosed between six and seven grams per liter, while the dosage for the other wines is generally between three and five grams. They also tend to be strongly marked by aromas of the lees, further amplified by bâtonnage during aging in barrel and poignetage in bottle, both of which also add to the impression of richness.
These are great wines! Over the years De Sousa has garnered better and better press! With production of around 70,000 bottles - small by all standards - their family-owned chalk based Grand Cru vineyards they work organically make for splendid, rich, powerful wines.
When in stock, wines from this producer appear below. Click on each wine for more detail.