The vineyards are on a south-facing to southeast-facing slope in the top-class Avize vineyard. The vines are 50 to 100 years old.
This is a family-run Champagne producer in the village of Avize, a Grand Cru in the Côte des Blancs, south of Epernay. The de Souza family originated when the first generation, Manuel, immigrated from Portugal after World War I and began growing grapes in Avize. It was then passed on to Antoine and then to Eric, Antoine and Zoémie's son. Eric, who took over in 1986, was convinced that improving the quality of wine is important to improving the quality of grapes, and introduced organic farming to grape cultivation, gaining fame as one of the leading organic farmers in Champagne. In January 2023, Eric passed away after a long battle with illness, but now his children, eldest daughter Charlotte, second daughter Julie, and eldest son Valentin, have inherited Eric's thoughts. <Soil>
The village of Avize has the most delicate chalky soil in the Cote des Blancs, a famous Chardonnay-producing region. There is chalky bedrock 20cm below the soil. Furthermore, the depositional process is different from other villages, and there are fossils of ancient creatures that can only be found in the soil of this village (which is also the site of the de Sousa Monument). This delicate soil, including ancient fossils, gives the grapes elegance and minerality. <Cultivation and vine age>
Instead of using herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers, which are used for efficient cultivation, they spray their own homemade mixtures made from nettles, chamomile, and dandelions. They also frequently till the soil as a weed control measure. This allows air to enter the soil, making the microorganisms more active and enabling biodynamic farming. The best grapes will grow slowly from the "living soil" where the activity of the microorganisms is activated. They wait until the grapes are fully ripe before harvesting. Normally, in Champagne, where acidity is important, the harvest is done early, but with biodynamic farming, the roots penetrate deep into the bedrock in the soil and absorb minerals, giving the wine freshness, so de Souza can harvest "fully ripe, fragrant grapes". The average age of the vines is 45 years, and the oldest ones are 50 to 100 years old. Compared to normal, yields are about 30% lower, but as the vines age, their roots penetrate deeper and absorb various soil components, allowing for the harvest of highly ripe, well-balanced, high-quality grapes. "Delicate, mineral-rich soil," "biodynamic farming methods that create living soil," and "old vines with deep roots." The synergistic effect of these three elements is what produces the "rich aroma of ripe fruit," "rich umami flavor," and "strong minerals that give definition to the soft acidity," resulting in the Champagne "De Souza" that is chosen worldwide. <Brewing>
The Standard Cuvée and Reserve are fermented and aged in enameled iron cuvées. For the Cuvée de Caudalie and Vintage, the Chardonnay is fermented in wooden barrels, and the Pinot Noir is fermented in large barrels and aged on the lees to bring out the healthy flavor of the grapes. For each Grand Cru plot, the wooden barrels used are made from oak trees from the village's forests, further enhancing the expression of the terroir (barrels made from wood from the village where the grapes were harvested).