Champagne William Saintot
CHAMPAGNE SAINTOT || The history of the Saintot family in Champagne began in 1918 with Firmin Saintot, who settled in the village of Avenay Val d’Or as a plow worker after being wounded during the War. Firmin’s son, Clement, and grandson, William, followed in his footsteps in the vineyards, acquiring and planting their own land in the mid-1950s. William also had a nursery business, selling phylloxera-resistant grafts to growers across the region. The next generation, William’s children Henri and Nathalie, expanded the company in the 1990s. Finally, over the last decade, Nathalie’s children - the fifth generation - joined the family business, converting to organic viticulture.
AVENAY-VAL-D’OR || Avenay is the easternmost village in the Vallée de la Marne, on the right bank (north side) of the Marne River. Planted primarily to Pinot Noir, the village is mainly premier cru vineyards on south-facing slopes. As the local saying goes - Aÿ le nom, Mareuil le bon, Avenay passe avant - Avenay comes before referring to its prominence in the 17th century for still wine production.