Why it matters
The producer
Champagne Chavost is a cooperative in Chavot-Courcourt made up of multi-generational growers. Fabien Daviaux leads the winemaking after studying oenology and spending more than ten years making wine internationally.
The house makes Brut Nature cuvées with a fruity, fresh profile and candied notes. Its two principal wines, Blanc d'Assemblage and Paradoxe, show different approaches to Champagne blending, from a single vintage to a reserve wine cuvée.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Chavot-Courcourt lies south of Épernay in the Côteaux d'Épernay sub-region of Champagne. The cooperative works across chalky limestone and richer clay limestone, with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier both represented in the range.
The village ground changes from pale, chalky parcels to heavier clay-limestone holdings. That variation gives Chavost more than one vineyard setting for its sparkling wines.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The cooperative's own certified organic holdings comprise 5 hectares, with additional parcels cultivated by member growers. The vineyard includes chalky limestone, richer clay limestone, and an 80 are clay plot.
Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations proceed spontaneously, without commercial yeasts or enzymes. The wines are made without additives or added sulfites. Blanc d'Assemblage spends an extended period on lees in stainless steel, while Paradoxe is vinified in 4,000 liter barrels and stainless steel tanks before ageing 18 months on lees.
Wines to know
The range in view
Chavost's two cuvées show two forms of Brut Nature Champagne. Blanc d'Assemblage is the flagship single vintage wine, made from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Meunier.
Paradoxe is a reserve wine blend from 2019 through 2023, made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Meunier. It is Chavost's first blend of reserve wines in the classic Champagne fashion. Brut Nature means there is no dosage, so the finished wine receives no added sugar at that stage.