Clotilde Chauvet's family has been making wines in Champagne since 1529. Now Clotilde comes each year to Central Otago for vintage and the unique association between the Chauvet family and Quartz Reef winery is reflected in the Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle

Clotilde and her brother Nicolas took over the family business (House of Chauvet) situated in "Rilly la Montagne" in 1996. The village is classified "Premier Cru" in the heart of Montagne de Reims, France. The House of Chauvet produces a range of traditional champagnes under the label Marc Chauvet, almost all of which are sold by mail order from the winery. (Also available in New Zealand from otagowine.com)

Clotilde trained as winemaker at Montpellier from 1986 to 1990, specialising in champagne at her home vineyard, which has 12 hectares planted in pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier. She has worked vintages at Beaune (France) and Domain Chandon (Australia) before coming to work at Rippon vineyard in Central Otago from 1992 to 1995.

Clotilde met Rudi Bauer when she took over as winemaker at Rippon, when Rudi left to work at Giesens (Canterbury). Clotilde did two methode traditionelle trials while she was at Rippon, producing Emma Rippon vintages in 1993 and 1994.

The partnership was formed when Rudi was looking to move back to Central Otago, and Clotilde was wanting to move back to France with her Kiwi husband, Richard Murgatroyd. They brought in two financial partners and formed the Bendigo Estate partnership, using the label Quartz Reef

The first Quartz Reef methode traditionelle, called Sparkling Chauvet, was made at Geisens in 1996, using fruit from Marlborough. Pinot noir and chardonnay grapes are blended in any combination from 50% of each (a normal year) to 20% pinot 80% chardonnay in a good pinot season when the pinot flavours are stronger. A vintage wine, made in 1998 and still on lees, was 100% chardonnay and won't be released for another couple of years.

Marlborough grapes were used for the first vintages, but all of the grapes for the Quartz Reef Sparkling Chauvet are now grown in Central Otago.

The first grapes were planted at Quartz Reef's vineyard at Bendigo in 1998. About 10 hectares are currently planted with a further five hectares still to be developed. Clotilde is responsible for the bubbles - and she says continuity of style is important - while Rudi makes the pinot noir and pinot gris, and handles the other stages of the sparkling wine for the rest of the year.

Clotilde sees a good future for Central Otago sparkling wines. Local market absorbs most of the wine at present, but there is good export potential as the volumes increase.

        

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