Ambonnay, with
its medieval architecture, was a thriving place in the
Middle Ages. It was erected on the spot of a Gallo-Roman
villa. The discovery of a Merovingian cemetery in a place
called "La Fontaine de Crilly" (Crilly Fountain)
tends to show that it originated from this very place,
where later Templar monks, belonging to "La Commanderie
Saint Jean de Jerusalem" were to live. Those monks
were great builders who, at the beginning of the 11th
century, built our church, a beautiful example of Roman
style turned into Gothic style along the years.
From this time on, the vineyard has been part of village
dwellers' everyday life, as shown by ornamental vine branches
carved on some pillars of the church.
In 1578, King of France Henry III allowed the Ambonnay
community to dig moats around the village in order to gain
protection, and to sell wine once a year, on Saint Luke's
Day. This charter is engraved on a stele where the old
market used to take place.
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AMBONNAY did not suffer too much from
the wars of religion nor from other fights in which our
region was always involved.
From this more recent spot (the old market place), the
streets and lanes spring from a central axis, a narrow
way along which visitors will sometimes remark porches
that are interesting from an aesthetic point of view.
They allow entrance to the houses, which are usually
closed by a wall (a particular feature of the Champagne
region). The posts bearing the names given to the streets
were made in wrought iron 25 years ago, thus offering
the village a unique heritage.
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Located on the Côte des Grands Noirs de la
Montagne de Reims, the AMBONNAY terroir spreads over an area of
about 914 acres. At the very heart of the traditional Champagne
region, the AMBONNAY - BOUZY hillside enjoys a South-South East
exposition and takes advantage of favourable geological and pedological
conditions, together with a micro-climate.
These pre-requisites enable producers to obtain
exceptionnal grapes.
Thanks to these features, AMBONNAY has been rated among the Great
Vintage Wines from Champagne since the scale was established in
1895.
Because it is planted 130 metres above sea level, most part of
the vineyard may often avoid the damages of spring freezing.
The AMBONNAY terroir grows on hillsides where chalky soils comes
near the surface, the latter being covered by a thin layer of mixed
clay and limestone.
Growing the pinot noir is thus facilitated and the grapes produced
allow wine growers to obtain the fruity and vinous productions
connoisseurs will appreciate.
As it is lighter and finer, the Chardonnay vine is mostly planted
on South East oriented hillsides.
Some regions, the soils of which are mainly composed
of clay and silica, may some years obtain a small production of
a particularly elegant red wine, characterised by its sweet flavour,
tasting of the grape. Connoisseurs will enjoy the Ambonnay Rouge.
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