The Dethune family started growing grapes in the 1800s and making their own Champagne in the 1930s. Biased towards Pinot Noir, they are organic and sustainable, and Pierre Dethune, with his wife Sophie, make some of the best wines in Ambonnay.
I wanted to know a bit more about the latest Dethune to run the Domaine, so I asked Pierre twenty questions.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Serious, precise, inventive.
What is your favourite song?
The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
What is your favourite country to visit?
Japon
Where would you like to visit that you haven’t been?
New Zealand
What is the dish you can cook the best?
Potatoes - I am not a great cook!
If you could make a wine in a different part of the world, where would it be?
New Zealand
Can you play a musical instrument?
No
If you didn’t do your current job, what would you do?
I would work in renewable energy
Who is your hero?
General De Gaulle
What do you like on your pizza?
Mozzarella, ham & tomato.
Do you have a pet?
Yes a jack russel and a cat
What annoys you?
Stupid people
What is the best wine you’ve ever drunk?
Château Figeac
What was the last thing you bought?
A caramel crepe
What do you eat for breakfast? Bread, butter and strawberry jam
What is your most treasured possession (and it can’t be your family!)
My vineyard
What is your favourite book?
Le comte de monte cristo
What was your favourite subject at school?
Physical Education
What is your favourite memory?
Sharing our first restaurant meal for months with friends on a terrace on Saturday
Name three people, living or dead, that would be at your dream dinner party and what would you be eating and drinking?
Dalai Lama, Einstein and Thomas Pesquet. Lobster with Champagne Dethune Les Crayeres 2014, Oysters with Blanc de Blanc vintage and steak & cheese with French Fries and Cuvee Ancienne 2012.