Beaumont des Crayères

Beaumont des Crayères is a small but very well-formed co-operative located just outside Epernay in the heart of Champagne. Established in 1955, they have been making Tanners Champagnes for about 30 years now.

The key to Beaumont des Crayères is that they have 250 growers who own only 70 ha of vines between them, this means that, on average, they have just over a quarter of a hectare each! With no bought-in grapes, every bottle of Beaumont des Crayères (or Tanners) champagne comes from these small plots which are lovingly tended like gardens. Ninety percent are in their home village of Mardeuil on the south side of the Marne Valley, where the Pinot Meunier grape reigns supreme. This grape, known for giving round, fruity champagnes, makes up 65% of the production, the balance being in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. On the slopes above Mardeuil, the Beaumont vineyard gives sweeping views of the valley over to Hautvillers and Cumières, two of the villages where their members also have vines, largely obtained through inheritance. Nearby is the chalky vineyard of Crayères which gives them the second part of their name. Chef de Cave, Gauthier Quatrevaux and Jean-Noël Plançon, president since 2016, have Beaumont des Crayères on schedule to be HVE 3 sustainability accredited by 2030 and have plenty of room to expand the newish press house on the edge of Mardeuil.