The history of the Maison De Venoge begins in 1837 when Henri-Marc De Venoge founded the Maison De Champagne De Venoge in the French municipality of Mareuil-sur-Ay. A man of innate entrepreneurial skills, De Venoge is the creator of the first ever illustrated label in the history of Champagne, in 1838. And again: when the maison chooses the blue ribbon of the Knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit as its emblem one of the most iconic labels of all time, the Cordon Bleu. La Maison de Venoge has been a worldwide ambassador for Champagne for over 180 years with refined products of absolute excellence.

Alongside the Champagne, the symbol of the Maison, the Princes cuvées designed in 1858 in honor of the Dutch royal house stand out for the elegant bottle that recalls the decanters used by the European aristocracy to serve Champagne in the early 20th century century. At the top of the range, the Louis XV cuvée is produced exclusively from grapes from the best Grand Cru villages and only in the best vintages.

The House is located on prestigious Avenue de Champagne, at number 33, facing the magnificent wrought iron gate of the former Hôtel Gallice, restored in 2015 by Maison de Venoge.

Blend: 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 33% Meunier

Ageing: 3 years

Dosage: low, between 5.5 – 6.5g RS/l

Cordon bleu is composed of 20% Reserve wines from the past 2 years. It is a reflection of the style and elegance of the House.

Bright Gold Color, wide aromatic complexity ranging from Granny Smith to lemon and honey. Dense and elegant, perfect for aperitif. An extremely polyvalent Champagne.

Champagne Master 2023 – Master

James Suckling – 91 points

A creamy and fresh Champagne with aromas of almonds, white flowers, apricots and chalk. Round and fine bubbles. Crisp, biscuity finish. One third each of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. Base wine 2017, with 20% reserve from 2016 and 2015. 5g/L dosage. Disgorged April 2022. Drink now.

Wine Advocate – 91 points

The NV Cordon Bleu Brut is a classic De Venoge assemblage of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier from roughly 20 different villages. This sample is based on the 2013 vintage (75%) and includes 15% of 2012 and 10% of 2011 (disgorged in January 2017; dosage of 7.8 grams per liter). Intense brioche and delicate chalky aromas flavor the fine and elegant bouquet. On the palate, this is a round, fresh and well-balanced Champagne with a tight structure and and impressive length. There is even a certain salinity that makes this Brut a first class aperitif and at a very good price point. Tasted November 2017.

Champagne de Venoge’s finest wines come along in carafe-shaped bottles that one might call kitsch, but I like them. They don’t fit in my fridge door, but my fridge is big and the Champagne’s good enough to deserve its own shelf and an upright position. The prestige cuvées Louis XV and Louis d’Or are remarkably elegant and vinous sparkling wines with structure, great complexity and also finesse. The 2006 Brut Rosé is one of the finest you can get, and the 1995 Louis XV is a greatly matured and generous Champagne that is still terribly fresh even though it was disgorged more than ten years ago in 2006. Cellar master Isabelle Tellier is doing a great job; there is not a single disappointing wine in the current portfolio that starts with the easy-drinking Cordon Bleu and offers some sophisticated cuvées in the Princes range. Champage de Venoge is—despite its glorious but volatile history (in terms of frequent changes of ownership)—still an underrated rising star in the Champagne region. Champagne de Venoge is now owned by Lanson-BCC.

Wine Spectator – 91 points

This crisply textured Champagne has white stone fruits to go with the bright lemon flavors. With freshness assured, the wine also offers spice and a soft, open aftertaste. Drink now.