Four brothers and sisters – Geoffrey, Anastasia, Marie and Marceau – founded their vinegar company in 2023, and they called it Les Enfants de Bacchus because the family home where they grew up was in rue Bacchus, Hautvillers, in Marne (Grand Est).
In Champagne, annual quotas are set for how many kilos of grapes can be produced from each hectare of vines. This system protects the Champagne label, ensuring that quality remains high, and the market does not get flooded with cheaper, lower quality wines. This means, however, that every year at the end of the harvest, there are left-over grapes which are usually sent to a distillery.
The siblings realised that there was a gap in the market for a high-quality vinegar made from these left-over grapes. "Making them into vinegar is much less environmentally damaging than distilling," says Léa Defontaine, their sole employee. "We are very conscious about limiting our carbon footprint."
As well as making vinegar, the siblings have other enterprises. Geoffrey and Anastasia are winemakers with their own labels, JM Gobillard et Fils, and Trouillard, respectively. Marie and Marceau run Marsault, which recycles empty champagne bottles into various decorative items for the home.
Making vinegar is fast. "It only takes 24 hours to make 20 litres of vinegar. We use a fermenter which heats the contents to 30°C. This produces millions of micro-bubbles which form the acetobacter bacteria which makes alcohol into acetic acid, which is how the grape juice turns into vinegar. Then we mature it in barrels for at least a year before we bottle it."
The product range includes vinegars made from single cépagesLes Enfants de Bacchus
The whole process is explained when people visit the ‘vinaigrerie’. "The visit is free for up to four adults (children visit for free) and takes just 20 minutes, and then we offer a free tasting." Unsurprisingly, their vinegars include specialities made just from one cépage; one made only from Chardonnay, and another made from Pinot Noir. They also produce ‘condiment balsamic’ vinegar, and others flavoured with thyme, or rosemary, or shallots. They also produce a vinegar made from 'Tête de Chou'– amber beer which is also produced locally.
"Our boutique also sells things made by other local producers, and they can all be eaten on our terrace. We also offer champagne tastings (€5 per flute). Visits should be booked in advance by phone or email."
