Pehu-Simonet

David Pehu is the fourth generation of his family to produce estate-bottled champagnes, and in his house you can see old Veuve Pehu labels from the early 20th century. His grandfather sold champagne under the Antonin Pehu label, and in the early 1970s his parents created Pehu-Simonet, with the introduction of vines from his mother's side of the family. Pehu has been involved in the winemaking here since 1988, apart from a year in the army in 1989 and 1990, and he has been solely responsible for the cellar since 1995.

Of Pehu-Simonets 7.5 hectares of vines, six are in grand cru villages, and these are the ones used for making estate-bottled champagnes. In addition to 3.5 hectares of vines in Verzenay, Pehu has holdings in Verzy, Sillery, Mailly, and Bouzy in the Montagne de Reims, as well as 65 acres of chardonnay in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, in the Côte des Blancs. The rest of the estate's harvest is sold to the négoce, including the fruit from a parcel of old vines in Villers-Marmery that Pehu says produces exceptional wine. "It's a pity it's premier cru," he says. "If I could call it a grand cru, I'd happily use it."

Vinification is either in tank or barrel, depending on the particular wine. Pehu, who studied oenology in Burgundy, has bee using barrels since 1988, and while most of his barrels are purchased second-hand from Burgundy, he's experimenting more and more with local oak from Verzy, coopered by the Tonnellerie de Champagne. Pehu strictly avoids the malolactic for nearly all of his wines, including red wines used for making rosé, as he believes hat blocking the malo better preserved the finesse and expression of fruit in the long run. The only exception to this rule if the non-dosé wine.