Wine Producer Spotlight: Charlotte De Sousa - Champagne de Sousa

De Sousa Champagne is a Grand Cru house rooted in Avize, a village in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. The estate is celebrated for its Chardonnay-focused Champagnes, crafted from carefully maintained old-vine parcels that have been nurtured for decades. In 2025, Charlotte De Sousa stepped into the family business, taking charge of sales, marketing, and global representation, while her siblings manage the vineyards and cellar. The house balances tradition and innovation, producing biodynamic, terroir-driven wines that reflect both the elegance of the region and the family’s enduring commitment to quality.

History of de Sousa Champagne

The De Sousa family has tended vineyards in Avize for over half a century, establishing a reputation for refined Blanc de Blancs Champagnes. Erick De Sousa, the previous head of the house, built the estate around biodynamic practices, emphasizing soil health, low yields, and a strong expression of terroir. The house grew slowly but deliberately, maintaining independence in a region increasingly dominated by large Champagne houses. Charlotte’s recent ascension continues the family legacy, combining rigorous training—including an OIV Master of Science in Wine Management—with a deep respect for the estate’s heritage. She and her siblings aim to preserve the estate’s signature style while exploring new technologies and strategies to sustain the business.

Vineyards and Estates

The De Sousa vineyards are concentrated in Avize’s Grand Cru parcels, renowned for chalk-rich soils that impart tension and minerality to Chardonnay. Old vines dominate, some maintained for more than 50 years, and are managed according to biodynamic principles. The estate prioritizes careful hand-harvesting and low yields, ensuring the fruit retains purity and concentration. In the cellar, Charlotte’s brother Valentin oversees a precise fermentation regime that combines spontaneous yeast activity in stainless steel with select aging in French oak for old-vine parcels. This approach produces wines that marry vibrancy with texture, capturing the essence of the Grand Cru terroir.

De Sousa Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV

Composition: 100% Chardonnay from Avize Grand Cru vineyards
Profile: A crystalline, mineral-driven Champagne with tension and purity. Citrus blossom, green apple, white peach, and crushed stone dominate, layered with subtle almond and brioche nuances. The palate is taut and linear, yet carries a creamy texture from extended lees aging.
Vinification: Hand-harvested grapes fermented spontaneously in stainless steel. Old-vine parcels see partial aging in French oak. Full malolactic fermentation maintains acidity while enhancing texture. Aged 36 months on lees, lightly dosed to preserve finesse.
Aging Potential: 10–15 years
Why it’s exceptional: This is a textbook expression of Côte des Blancs terroir, showcasing Grand Cru precision, minerality, and delicate yet persistent fruit.

De Sousa Cuvée Charlotte Brut

Composition: 100% Chardonnay, selected from the finest Avize parcels
Profile: Named for the current head of sales, this cuvée embodies elegance and vibrancy. Notes of lemon zest, ripe pear, and green apple are complemented by pulverized stone and faint floral accents. The mousse is fine and persistent, creating a seamless mouthfeel.
Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation with native yeasts, limited French oak for select old vines. Extended lees aging (~36 months) for depth and complexity. Low dosage emphasizes purity.
Aging Potential: 8–12 years
Why it’s exceptional: Combines youthful energy with structural precision, making it an ideal showcase for De Sousa’s biodynamic, terroir-first philosophy.

De Sousa Vieilles Vignes

Composition: Chardonnay from parcels averaging 50+ years
Profile: Richer and more layered than the NV, with white peach, Mirabelle plum, almond, and toasted brioche notes. Saline minerality underpins the fruit, adding length and tension.
Vinification: Hand-picked grapes fermented in stainless steel with select old-vine lots in oak. 100% malolactic, 36–40 months sur lattes. Minimal dosage preserves site expression.
Aging Potential: 12–20 years
Why it’s exceptional: A rare glimpse into the character of De Sousa’s oldest vines, offering a deep, structured, and nuanced expression of Avize Grand Cru Chardonnay.

Critical Acclaim

De Sousa Champagnes have quickly earned respect among sommeliers, importers, and collectors for their clarity, precision, and expressive Côte des Blancs identity. The NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru consistently scores above 90 points in international tastings, praised for its racy minerality, fine bead, and seamless balance between freshness and texture. Critics often note the tension and elegance that belie the Champagne’s approachable style, making it a standout among small, independent producers.

The Cuvée Charlotte Brut has been lauded as one of the most refined new releases in the southern Côte des Blancs, capturing both the finesse of the terroir and the personality of a modern grower house. Its persistent mousse, vibrant citrus, and subtle brioche complexity earn it high marks from sommeliers who favor pure, site-driven wines over commercial blends.

Vieilles Vignes, the estate’s oldest-vine bottling, is frequently highlighted for its depth and aging potential. Experts point to the remarkable expression of chalky minerality, layered stone fruit, and nuanced secondary notes developed from extended lees contact. Wine publications often compare its structure and balance to the finest vintage Champagnes, emphasizing how De Sousa preserves the integrity of each parcel with meticulous care.

De Sousa’s approach has garnered praise for sustainable and biodynamic practices. Reviewers consistently highlight the house’s low-intervention philosophy, native-yeast fermentation, and minimal dosage, noting that these choices translate into Champagne that feels alive and authentic, rather than masked by winemaking artifice.

The house has also received attention for being a female-led estate in a historically male-dominated region. Charlotte De Sousa’s role in sales and marketing, combined with her sister Julie and brother Valentin’s management of vineyard and cellar operations, has been celebrated as a model for modern, family-run Champagne houses where women are shaping both the business and the wines themselves.

In short, De Sousa has carved a reputation for exceptional terroir-driven Blanc de Blancs, recognized for finesse, mineral precision, and subtle complexity. Each release reinforces the estate’s dedication to sustainable practices, thoughtful vinification, and the expression of Grand Cru Chardonnay in its purest form.

Wines That Speak of Place

De Sousa’s Champagnes are a true reflection of Avize’s Grand Cru terroir, emphasizing the chalky soils, cool microclimate, and centuries-old vineyard wisdom. Each cuvée is crafted to showcase the distinct expression of its parcel, allowing the vineyard’s characteristics to shine without distraction.

Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV – Sourced from young and mid-age vines across Avize, this wine captures the village’s iconic mineral tension. Notes of green apple, white flowers, and flinty citrus are lifted by a fine mousse, while subtle brioche and almond nuances speak to the estate’s patient lees aging. The wine demonstrates both immediacy and the potential to evolve gracefully over five to seven years.

Cuvée Charlotte Brut – A single-vintage bottling highlighting full ripeness and spontaneous fermentation. Chalk-driven minerality combines with Mirabelle plum, lemon zest, and lightly toasted grains. Its structure is taut yet lively, reflecting the precision of the Grand Cru parcels while retaining a bright, approachable character.

Vieilles Vignes – From the oldest vines on the estate, this bottling reveals remarkable depth and tension. Aromas of ripe pear, powdered stone, and lemon peel are framed by persistent, creamy bubbles. Extended lees contact adds layers of complexity, while the low dosage ensures purity and a long, saline finish. This wine speaks unmistakably of Avize, offering a snapshot of the village’s soil, climate, and age-old viticultural techniques.

Across the portfolio, De Sousa’s Champagnes exemplify how careful site selection, low-intervention viticulture, and minimal dosage can transform terroir into expression. Each bottle communicates the energy of Avize’s chalky slopes, the subtle differences of micro-parcels, and the family’s unwavering commitment to preserving the identity of their vineyards.

Current Outlook

De Sousa is entering a pivotal chapter under the leadership of Charlotte, Julie, and Valentin. The siblings are seamlessly blending respect for their father’s legacy with modern innovation, ensuring the house remains independent while enhancing the expression of Avize’s Grand Cru vineyards. Charlotte’s global perspective, backed by her OIV Master of Science, complements Julie’s vineyard stewardship and Valentin’s cellar expertise, creating a cohesive, multi-generational vision.

The house continues to refine its biodynamic practices, low-yield viticulture, and minimal-intervention winemaking, while strategically using technology to monitor vineyard health and optimize fermentation. This approach not only safeguards quality but also highlights the subtle differences between parcels, making each cuvée a precise mirror of its terroir.

Looking ahead, De Sousa aims to expand its reach without compromising character or independence. Their wines remain a reference point for Chardonnay-driven Champagne, celebrated for clarity, minerality, and elegance. With a portfolio that balances immediate charm and cellar potential, the house is poised to captivate both longtime aficionados and new collectors seeking authentic, terroir-driven expressions of the Côte des Blancs.

Charlotte and her siblings embody a modern vision of family Champagne: preserving tradition, elevating quality, and proving that women—and families—can thrive in all aspects of this historically male-dominated industry. Under their stewardship, De Sousa is not just maintaining its reputation, it is actively shaping the future of artisanal Champagne.