Why it matters
The producer
Isabelle and Sombath enrolled together at the Avize viticulture school in 2005, while Gabriel and Odile progressively passed on their vineyard and cellar knowledge. When Isabelle's parents retired in 2010, the couple began a new chapter. In 2017 they created Maison Couvreur-Prak.
Couvreur-Prak is a récoltant-manipulant, handling every stage from growing the vines through commercialisation. The house harvests its own grapes, presses them, ferments the wines, matures them, riddles the bottles and prepares the Champagnes for sale.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Rilly-la-Montagne is the historic base of the house and a Premier Cru village in the Marne. Its principal parcels lie on the village slopes, where Pinot Noir is the preferred variety. Additional vines are planted in Connigis in the Aisne.
The village classification refers to the quality of the grapes produced there. Couvreur-Prak's vineyard therefore combines a Pinot Noir led home base with a second holding outside Rilly-la-Montagne.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range has three named cuvées. Complicité is the blend of the three traditional Champagne grapes. Accomplissement is a Blanc de Blancs. Prospérité 2012 is the vintage Brut.
The vintage wine is composed of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Meunier. The bottles move from a broad three grape blend to a Blanc de Blancs and then to a Champagne organised around one declared vintage.