Champagne Esterlin | Épernay, France

By Sophie Gayot

Into the Origines of the House Esterlin

Champagne Esterlin is a cooperative founded in 1948 by three families in the village of Mancy on the Côteaux Sud of Épernay, close to the Côte des Blancs. At the time it counted 29 members over 26 acres. Nowadays, there are over 200 members who cultivate and harvest the grapes on 232 acres spreading over 52 villages.

In 1994, the headquarters were moved on the famous Avenue de Champagne in Épernay in a building inspired from the Palladian villas of the Veneto. You will be surprised when walking in as the interior design is very modern. The production site remains in Mancy, where the cellar is. At any point, there are some 3.5 million bottles over 10,000 square meters. Its natural temperature year-round is about 11 degrees centigrade.

Exclusive video interview with Alexis Vaernewyck of Champagne Esterlin

About the champagnes

Champagne Esterlin has a line of eight different Champagnes produced without malolactic fermentation in order to keep the freshness and complexity of the aromas. Champagne Esterlin practices fermentation at 16 degrees centigrade temperature, and stops the second fermentation to preserve original acidity and the freshness of wine.

Champagne Esterlin is involved in a strict environment protection and holds the certification “High Value Environmental” (HVE). as well as the label “viticulture durable” (sustainable wine making, VDC).