MASTERY OF CR AF T IN THE NAME OF MOTHER NATURE
MASTERY OF CRAFT
TEXT: ISABELLE GUIGNET | PHOTOGRAPHY: TELMONT
TASTE OF LUXURY
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Henry Lhôpital would have certainly wished for it, but would he have believed that it would become a reality? A wish that one day, in the not-so-distant future, Maison Telmont would produce 100% organic champagnes, using agriculture that respects the land where he chose to establish his vineyard? Following the Champagne Riots, this courageous winegrower founded Maison Telmont in 1912 with the ambition of converting the entire vineyard of Damery, near Epernay in the Marne, to organic farming. Since then, four generations of winemakers, with their love of their terroirs and grapes, have succeeded one another in furthering this ambition. The goal is now in sight for this labor of love. Bertrand Lhôpital, an Agricultural Engineer representing the fourth generation of the House, emphasizes that respect for the terroir is sine qua non for obtaining a quality product. However, thinking holistically for the House of Telmont, the marketing of wines and champagnes needs to be reviewed. This implies no longer using transparent bottles and eliminating all superfluous packaging. The goal here is to reduce the environmental footprint as much as possible at each stage, from production to distribution. All this hard work has paid off: in 2017, Maison Telmont received its first organic certification for certain vineyard sections. Then, in 2021, the family business launched its first cuvée, La Réserve de la Terre, which achieved the same certification. Everything in this cuvée reflects the soul of the Maison Telmont: courage, humility, and loyalty. It is both a beautiful tribute to the vines and the founder of the House, Henry Lhôpital. Wishing to accomplish the work that started more than a century ago, Maison Telmont has set itself the goal of converting 100% of the estate's vineyards to certified organic agriculture by 2025. All of its partner winemakers should also achieve organic certification by 2031. This beautiful project is closer than ever to mother nature.
