Vertus, the Côte des Blancs, a family story, and sparkling wines that place the terroir at the heart of everything: Veuve Fourny & Fils embodies a certain vision of Champagne, both winemaker-driven and deeply rooted in its origins. For several generations, the Fourny family has crafted its wines with special attention to the vineyard and the unique character of each plot.
So, what is the story of this family-owned house, what are its terroirs, and what is the personality of its champagnes? Let’s discover Veuve Fourny & Fils!
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The story of Veuve Fourny & Fils
The Fourny family’s winemaking history has been rooted in Vertus since 1856. Since then, five generations have passed down the family expertise, gradually building a winegrowing heritage closely tied to the village.
In the 1930s, Albert Fourny notably developed the winemaking process and the marketing of the wines. His son Roger then continued the business. After his untimely passing, his wife Monique took over the estate; it was during this period that the name Veuve Fourny & Fils, still present today on the house’s bottles, originated.
In 1993, Roger and Monique’s two sons, Charles and Emmanuel Fourny, officially took over the family estate. Complementary in their roles, they have continued to develop the property while maintaining a deep attachment to Vertus and to the heritage passed down by previous generations.
Emmanuel is particularly dedicated to vineyard work and winemaking, while Charles is more involved in business development and promoting the house. Together, they deepen their focus on single-vineyard work to better understand the nuances of their terroirs and to preserve, as much as possible, the identity of each area before blending.
This approach has given rise to a collection of champagnes where freshness, balance, and precision are at the heart of everything.
Vertus and the Côte des Blancs: at the heart of Veuve Fourny's identity
Vertus, in the south of the Côte des Blancs, is the birthplace of Veuve Fourny & Fils. It is in this Premier Cru classified village that the heart of the family vineyard is located. For certain cuvées, the house also sources from partner winegrowers in other Premier Cru and Grand Cru villages of Champagne.
The house cultivates around 15 hectares of vines, including 10 hectares owned. This vineyard forms the foundation of its cuvées, which may also include grapes from partner winegrowers.
The soils of Vertus are largely characterized by chalk, with rendzinas in particular and various limestone soils depending on the location of the plots. This diversity, combined with variations in slope and exposure, allows both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to express themselves with different profiles.
The house thus works with numerous single vineyards, whose grapes are vinified separately in order to preserve their unique characteristics. The aim is then to create the different blends from this mosaic of profiles.
The vines are also an important part of the house's identity. Their average age exceeds 40 years, while a significant portion of the plant heritage comes from massal selections initiated by Albert Fourny as early as the 1930s.
The Veuve Fourny range
The Veuve Fourny & Fils range explores different expressions of the vineyard, from Blancs de Blancs to single-vineyard cuvées, produced in more limited quantities.
-The Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs is one of the house’s most direct expressions. Crafted with no dosage, it offers a fresh, vibrant and very pure profile.
-The Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut is also based on Chardonnay, but delivers a slightly more rounded and generous expression while maintaining a saline and precise finish.
-Les Grands Terroirs offers a broader interpretation of Champagne. This cuvée combines Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a majority of grapes from Premier Crus, complemented by Grand Crus. Reserve wines then add further depth and complexity to the whole.
-The Cuvée R offers a much more generous and gastronomic expression. It blends two consecutive vintages and benefits from full wood vinification, followed by extended aging. Richer, creamier, and more vinous than the house’s classic Blancs de Blancs, it still retains that chalky, saline backbone that recalls its origin. Its name pays tribute to Roger Fourny, one of the key figures in the family’s history.
-The Rosé Brut offers a more immediate expression, while the Rosé de Saignée Extra-Brut delivers greater body, vinosity, and aromatic intensity thanks to its vinification method.
-Le Clos Faubourg Notre-Dame holds a unique place in the range. Located in the heart of Vertus, this 0.29-hectare clos, a monopole of the Fourny family since 1930, is planted exclusively with Chardonnay. Its low yields and the long aging of the cuvée on lees contribute to its unique character.
Other single-vineyard cuvées reveal more precisely the diversity of Vertus terroirs. Monts de Vertus comes from old vines situated mid-slope, on rendzina soils where chalk is close to the surface. This terroir produces a precise, saline Champagne with excellent aging potential.
Champagne Veuve Fourny: a complete and high-end range
In summary
Discovering Veuve Fourny & Fils means meeting a family whose work is deeply rooted in Vertus, in the south of the Côte des Blancs. Their blends and single-vineyard vinifications reveal the diversity of the terroirs, while maintaining the signature style of the house. From Blanc de Blancs to rarer cuvées like Monts de Vertus or Clos Faubourg Notre-Dame, the range allows you to explore this expertise through champagnes with distinct personalities.
Find Veuve Fourny champagnes in the La Cave Éclairée selection. Need advice? Contact us: we will help you choose a cuvée according to your tastes, your budget, and the occasion.
