Brigitte Beaufort - The lady of Bouzy

What a fantastic woman. It sounds almost like a fairy tale…as there was this lady, Brigitte Beaufort, who inherited 4 ha of land in the Champagne area, mainly the Bouzy. At first she was thinking of selling the land or the grapes, as she didn’t have any knowledge of wine growing. But as her late husband and she were big champagne lovers she changed her mind. She became a full fletched wine grower and after that she reclaimed fullownership of her late husband’s vines in 2008. 

When all the paperwork and permits were approved Brigitte decided to produce from the 14 plots of vineyards, which consist of 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay, only Millésimé’s. These wines are all vintage champagnes. They are vinificated in stainless steel and age for more than 7 years (sur lattes) in the cellar.

The cuvees have been named based on the 5 values she stands for:

The PASSION of being a winemaker
The HARMONIE of her vintages
The AMOUR of its land
The LIBERTÉ to create
The BONHEUR of sharing

Enjoyable is that the 1st letters of these cuvees are similar to the names of her son and daughter (Anne-Louis and Pierre-Herbert) who are also working in the company.
To come to the end of this story, the first batch has been released after 13 years of aging. 

Brigitte Beaufort came into contact with  Wijnkoperij Okhuysen, one of the longest-standing wine merchants in the Netherlands (and in Europe - since 1867) and they invited a selected group of connaisseurs, sommeliers and press for a tasting session in restaurant The Lobby, in Hotel V in Amsterdam. 

We all agreed that the wines are of high quality and have a wonderful freshness. The food which was served by ‘The Lobby’ paired beautifully with the wines. 

PASSION MILLÉSIMÉ 2011 

75% Pinot Noir 25%, Chardonnay 
Aging: 7+ years 
Dosage: Brut. 6 g/L 
Color: Pale yellow 
On the nose: Citrus fruits, fresh walnut 
Notes of small red fruits as well as sweet spices. 
Zesty finish, supple and fresh.
Food pairing: supreme of roasted guinea fowl 

AMOUR MILLÉSIME 2012 

LIMITED EDITION OF 2000 UNITS 
70% Pinot Noir 30% Chardonnay 
Aging: 7+ years 
Dosage: Extra Brut, 4g/L 
Color: Straw-yellow 
On the nose: Dried fruits, hazelnut
Well-balanced on the palate with a mineral 
framework. Tense, elegant and straightforward finish. 
Food pairing: Roasted langoustine

LIBERTÉ MILLÉSIME 2009 

LIMITED EDITION OF 800 UNITS 
85% Pinot Noir 15% Chardonnay 
Aging: 10 years 
Dosage: Brut Nature, 0 g/L 
Color: Lemon yellow 
On the nose: Intense lemon, toasted notes
Full and mineral on the palate. Lemon and salty finish. 
Great length. 
Food pairing: Crustaceans

BLANC DE BLANCS MILLÉSIME 2012 

LIMITED EDITION OF 1000 UNITS 2012 
MILLESIME CHRONICLE 
 
100% Chardonnay “Le Mont des Tours” 
Aging: 10 years 
Dosage: Extra Brut, 2 g/L 
Color: Straw-yellow 
On the nose: White flesh fruits, pastry notes. 
Complex and developed mouth. Superb length mineral combining acidity, vigour and freshness. 
Food pairing: Turbot in Champagne sauce

HARMONIE MILLÉSIME 2012 LIMITED 

EDITION OF 1000 UNITS 
86% Chardonnay 14% Bouzy Rouge 
Aging: 7+ years 
Dosage: Brut, 6 g/L 
Color: Salmon pink 
On the nose: Morello cherry, liquorice
Fruity and delicate on the palate. Nice acidity. 
Food pairing: Parma ham

Website Brigitte Beaufort
Website Importer NL Okhuysen