It was the First World War which oddly enough was at the origin of the creation of De Sousa champagnes. Indeed, Manuel De Sousa, originally from the Porto area, was part of the Portuguese expeditionary force called to reinforce the allies. Returning to his country, faced with a difficult economic situation, Manuel De Sousa decided to leave with his wife for the Champagne region where he had made contacts during the war. He settled there and worked hard at the service of the region’s wine growers. However, struck by a tumour, he died at 29, leaving a wife and four children. A little later, the eldest son, Antoine, met Zoémie Bondeville, the daughter of a family of prosperous Champagne wine growers with whom he would soon marry. This was the start of success for the De Sousa family. Today, it is Erik, the third generation established in France who runs the domain with his wife Michelle. Today the domain covers 11 hectares of the most beautiful terroirs of the Côte des Blancs, of which the vast majority are in grand cru with 75% of the vines over 45 years old, which is rather rare in Champagne. In addition, Erik De Sousa has gradually made the entire domain organic and then biodynamic since 1999. His wines have gained further finesse, elegance and expression of their different exceptional terroirs. An absolute must-see for lovers of biodynamic champagne, powerful, tense and offering assertive minerality.

The Pinot Noir grapes – no others are used in this cuvée – are taken exclusively from grand crus in Bouzy and Tour-sur-Marne, on the Montagne de Reims, enabling them to reach excellent maturity. And indeed, this cuvée was designed as an ode to Pinot Noir. The vinification process involved 10 months in oak barrels, using only native yeasts, for a 2013 bottling. This cuvée is unfiltered. It is a Brut champagne, dosed at 7g / litre. De Sousa's biodynamically-produced wines are among iDealwine's favourites: they are superb champagnes of character, distinguished by an attractive maturity, minerality and well-controlled power. Tasting shows that this new cuvée possesses a fresh, refined, delicate nose with fruity aromas. In the mouth, the bubbles are particularly fine; there is fruitiness with very light woody, hazelnut notes, a certain vinosity, attractive tautness and very good length.