Champagne Delavenne Nature Grand Cru Non Dose
Champagne Delavenne is a family-run Champagne house that has been operating since the 1920s in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, located in the Montagne de Reims. Now in its fourth generation, the house is led by Jean Christophe Delavenne, who is committed to producing only Grand Cru Champagnes. As an RM (Récoltant-Manipulant) producer, they make their Champagnes exclusively from grapes grown on their own vineyards and vinify them in family-owned facilities.
The village of Bouzy, classified as Grand Cru since 1895, enjoys a prime location with south-facing slopes, allowing for excellent sun exposure and optimal ripening conditions. Out of 320 communes in the Champagne region, only 17 hold Grand Cru status, highlighting the exceptional quality of this terroir. Champagne Delavenne is currently in the process of converting all of their vineyards to certified organic cultivation for the benefit of future generations. Grapes are carefully hand-harvested, then pressed and vinified separately by vineyard plot and grape variety to preserve their unique characteristics.
What intrigued me about the Champagne Delavenne Nature Grand Cru Brut Non-Dosé is how it deliberately omits several common winemaking interventions. For example, to emphasize freshness, length, and tension, the wine is naturally fermented in stainless steel tanks and does not undergo malolactic fermentation. There is no fining or pasteurization, and the dosage is kept at 0 g/L—completely non-dosé. The result is a Champagne that showcases the pure, unadulterated expression of its Grand Cru terroir. The blend consists of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, and I had the chance to taste a bottle disgorged in September 2022.
This is a Champagne with well-developed maturity and a bouquet-driven profile. It doesn’t come across as overly ripe, but instead offers fresh aromas of apple, pear, grapefruit, and plum, layered with the nutty bitterness and savoriness of almonds and hazelnuts, along with notes of toasted brown bread. The bubbles are creamy, yet—true to its non-dosé nature—the palate is dry and incisive. While there’s a slight hollowness on the mid-palate, the maturity of the wine mostly fills that gap. It’s a style that feels unadorned yet sophisticated, like quiet confidence.
Sometimes you open a bottle of Champagne with high hopes only to find it’s not yet ready to drink—disappointing, to say the least. But this one, perhaps because it’s non-dosé, feels like it’s always ready. No need to wait—just pop and enjoy.