Champagne Devaux - The Classic Grand Reserve - 94 Points, Tyson Stelzer

Champagne Devaux was founded in 1846 by the brothers Jules and Auguste Devaux and held by Madame Augusta Devaux who gave her name in 1895. Champagne Veuve A. Devaux became involved in the 1930’s and began exporting 75% of the whole production to Europe, United States, Yemen, from Singapore to Syria. In 1987: Jean-Pol Auguste Devaux selected a quite famous winegrowers’ group to continue the business, l’Union Auboise, and its Chairman Laurent Gillet. • Our aim: is to elaborate unique champagnes with the Devaux signature. • Our style: complexity, ripeness, structure, finesse, elegance and delicacy • A selection of the best Pinot Noir from the ‘crus’ of the Côte des Bar and Chardonnay from the ‘crus’ of the Côte des Blancs, • No pre-blending, • Use of large amount of reserve wines aged in oak casks, • Use of only first pressing juices called ‘cuvée’ for all wines and the heart of the first pressing juices called ‘cœur de cuvée’ (the best quality) for the D Collection, • A long time on lees: a minimum of 3 years in the bottle for the Classic non-vintages and 5 years for the D Collection non-vintages, 5 to 8 years for vintages, • Extra ageing from 3 to 12 months after disgorging according to each cuvée and size.