It was in 1890 when Désiré Lemaire, a gardener and poet, bought some vineyards marking the birth of the Lemaire family tradition. These vineyards now stretch over 12 hectares of the sunny hills of the Marne Cumières Valley. In 1945 Roger Constant established the official brand of Roger-Constant Lemaire. The estate was doubled and the head office relocated to Villers-sous-Châtillon. It wasn’t until
1964 that the trademark Champagne of RC Lemaire, Cuvée Trianon was first produced. The name originates from the Chateau Petit Trianon located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. This Neoclassical style building was gifted to Queen Marie Antionette by Louis XVI. She utilised it when escaping the formality of court life and to shake off the burden of her royal responsibilities. Perhaps the name Trianon represents the extravagance of the 18th century monarchy. Brigitte Lemaire, daughter of Roger-Constant, married Gilles Tournant in 1975 and together they have brought the production into the modern age with a temperature-controlled winery, whilst maintaining the traditional philosophy of the Lemaire heritage. A strong awareness of the importance of organic production in the last decade has prompted the family to introduce more ecologically friendly cultivation techniques. Specifically, the introduction of marine algae to the soil, for which they have been rewarded with an “Organic Certificate” for vine fertilization. The Rosé was introduced in 1980 and in 2009 Gilles Tournant realised the importance of flavour over colour and revised the vinification methods to produce the exceptional Champagne Rosé de Saignée. Today the traditional family run Champagne House of Roger-Constant Lemaire extends over the Valley of the Marne Cumières, Hautvillers Reuil, Binson-Orquigny, and Troissy Leuvrigny. Their outstanding quality Champagnes continue to charm and captivate lovers of fine wine worldwide.
