The Comte de Lantage Champagne House
The
Comte de Lantage Champagne House saw the light of day in 1987
through the efforts of the house's founders Michèle
and Alain Mandois, the latest in a long line of dedicated
champagne makers. To acquaint you with the art behind the
Comte de Lantage label, 2nd August 2007, the home was bought by Virginie and Stéphane Philizot eager to extend the continuity of brand.
Five
generations of champagne makers
Alain
Mandois, who created the "Champagnes Comte de Lantage" label,
is heir to a long-standing family tradition and a savoir-faire
nurtured through several generations. The Mandois family has
been a fixture in the champagne-making community since the
first half of the 19th century. History credits Victor Mandois
as the initial driving force: patriarch and trailblazer, he
ran an estate and also made his own champagne. He was followed
by Henri Mandois (in Pierry) and Henri Bernier (in Vertus)
- both men, in their own ways, marked their era. Then, continuing
the adventure, came Michel Mandois and latterly his son Alain,
who founded the Comte de Lantage Champagne House and is now
its director.
When
his parents died prematurely in 1924, Henri Mandois, who was
just 16 at the time, took over the family concern and planted
more vines. He owned presses which he used for his own estate
and also to process the grapes of the village's other growers
- in this way he played an instrumental role in setting up
the Pierry wine co-operative. When the Great Depression struck,
he decided also to make his own champagne, becoming a grower-producer.
He was only 22 years old. World War Two hampered any development
of the business during this period, but it enjoyed a new lease
of life in the 1950s and '60s. Michel Mandois began at a young
age to work with his father, giving the family champagne house
a fresh impetus. Between 1950 and 1970, the plantation expanded
from five hectares to 30 hectares - about 75 acres - with
the entire output being sold to a base of private and trade
clients. Michel died in 1987, before his time, and - alas
- missed out on the development of the Comte de Lantage Champagne
House.
On
the other side of the family tree, grandfather Henri Bernier
was one of the architects of the development of the champagne
co-operatives. Himself a producer, he teamed up with some
friends to establish the co-operative in Vertus.
Comte
de Lantage - a champagne is born
Having
inherited a precious fund of expertise, which had been cultivated
for more than one and a half centuries, Michèle and
Alain Mandois decided in 1987 to establish their own champagne
house. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and
earned the confidence of many clients - private individuals
and companies - both in France and abroad. The presence of
the Comte de Lantage label in most of Europe, as well as in
North America and Australia, testifies to this loyalty - a
loyalty which in turn is breeding success.
The
House's champagnes have been devised to fulfil a precise purpose:
to make a quality champagne, blended and aged by Stéphane Philizot
and bearing his name; to market it directly to a private and
trade clientele; and to develop a foreign network of importers
who are loyal to the brand.
A
precious talent
After four generations, Stephane Philizot is the custodian of a tradition
and a savoir-faire that have been maintained and developed
over many years. He now hopes that, with the Comte de Lantage
Champagne House, he will transmit on this talent and his experience. For this is how the
best enterprises are fashioned - with time, and a solid respect
for expertise.
Success,
one step at a time
This
long-term development strategy has borne fruit, and the results
are there to prove it:
A
range of quality champagnes featuring a high proportion of
vintage cuvées, including the exceptional 1990 and
the 1995.
The
entire output is sold at the estate or home-delivered. The
range has garnered very impressive tasting scores from the
American reviews (The Wine Spectator, The Wine Enthusiast).
The export market has proved a resounding success, especially
the countries of North America and Oceania. In total, nearly
60% of production is exported outside Europe.
This
success is constantly being consolidated through an unwavering
respect for the four key founding principles of the House:
quality, direct links with its clients, communication, and
export promotion. In an increasingly industrialised sector
where volume is king, the Comte de Lantage Champagne House
has ploughed a different furrow, preserving its authentic
character and building links with its clients. The company's
prospects are based on increasing production by an average
of 5% per year, thus helping keep a balanced structure with
a human face.
A
state of mind
Monsieur
and Madame Philizot have only two concerns: their clients and the
ageing of their wines. Their relationships with their private and trade
clients are warm and personal. The Cellier Comte de Lantage is a
convivial venue, and the ambience generated there is part and parcel of
the product offering. M and Mme Philizot make a special point of
spending time with their guests - every encounter must be a memorable
tasting experience. The clients who visit the tasting cellar - whether
keen enthusiasts, professionals or novices - always take away a sense
of having enjoyed a one-off experience. Indeed that is the hallmark of
the House, and which explains its current success.
