Hautvillers, the birthplace of champagne

Located in the heart of the Champagne region, at 5 kilometers of Epernay, Hautvillers is an incomparable site that overlooks the vineyard with its Abbey, home of the famous monk Dom PÉRIGNON who gave birth to the first bubbles from Champagne around 1681.
Thanks to its Benedictine monk, Hautvillers became/gas become the most famous village of all the area.

The “Maison JM Gobillard & Fils” is primarly located in Hautvillers’ Premier Cru vignards, which enables to grow the three grape-varieties comprised in the champagne vineyards: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

This splendid village, considered as the “Pearl of Champagne”, is “pittoresque”, must seen site in the Champagne area.

While visiting us, we will make you discover Hautvilliers abbey church, a multitude of wrought iron signs, as well as tasting/enjoying our different champagnes and to let you be surprised by superb overlooks on the vineyard.

 

 

Hautvillers as a rich history especially thanks to its monk Dom Perignon.

In fact, the origin of Hautvillers is directly related to the existence of its Abbey.
The Abbey had encountered many vicissitudes during centuries since it had been plundered nearly 17 times.

In 1668, a Benedictine monk arrived in Hautvilliers. His wisdom and instruction made him be chosen as “Cellérier” (monk leader) of the Abbey.
Dom Pérignon is a surprisingly modern and perfectionist person.
At that time, the economic situation is poor, the Abbey is difficultly recovering from a fire caused by the Huguenots, the revenues are not sufficient anymore and the vine growing pays little.
Thanks to Dom Pérignon, the vine will take a great expansion, not only in Hautvillers but in all the area.

Dom PÉRIGNON gave birth to the first bubbles of Champagne.

According to the legend he was the first to master the intricacies of champagne making,
thus he developed:

- The clarification of the wines in order to extract from it the deposit which remains in the bottle.
- The blending.
- The fractionated pressing that enables to obtain a white juice starting from black grapes .
- The cork stopper which replaces the wooden-peg and tallow.
- He also modified the shape of the bottles (bottom dug) by increasing their thickness in order to make them more resistant to the pressure.

The Champagne wine will quickly become a very famous drink thanks to Louis XIV’s Prime Minister.
It was Colbert who made known Champagne.
Dom Pérignon died in 1715, he is buried in the Church of Hautvillers under a marble flagstone close to the sanctuary.