The story goes back all the way to 1625, and probably even further, when the Cattier family first started planting vines in Chigny-les-Roses, in the heart of the Montagne de Reims. The winery has since been passed down through 12 generations.
Today, Alexandre Cattier, became the thirteenth generation of Cattiers to work the vines and the fourth to produce their own champagne when he took the reins of the company, alongside his cousin Agathe, who became the Assistant Managing Director, and Marie, the new brand ambassador.
Under the guidance of Jean-Jacques Cattier, Cattier Champagne has flourished through the hard work, courage and audacity of the men and women in the family. Driven by their passion for wine and the land they work, each has helped make Cattier the brand it is today, dedicated to preserving and passing on the excellence we have inherited.
Most of Cattier’s cellars are located underneath the family estate in Rilly-la-Montagne, where we can store some two million bottles. These cellars are more than a century and a half old, and still bear the traces of those who sheltered there to escape the bombs of the Second World War.
With 119 steps on one side and 136 on the other, these cellars are among the deepest in Champagne (almost 30 metres deep). Cellar depth has traditionally been measured in steps, a holdover from the days when builders didn’t have any more advanced ways of measuring it. What’s more, they were excavated over three different levels, with three distinct styles of arch: Gothic, Roman and Renaissance. These cellars provide the perfect conditions for bottles to mature: a constant temperature and protection from any disturbance.
We like to make the most of our cellar. This is why our Brut Premier Cru spends more than four years down there, even though the legislation only requires 15 months. Our most prestigious bottles, however, require more than 8 years resting in the cellar to open and develop their unique aromas.
