Location and Administration
Oger has been a commune déléguée since 1 January 2018 within the Commune nouvelle of Blancs-Coteaux in the Marne department. The place lies in the wine-growing region Champagne, more precisely in the Côte des Blancs.
Landscape and Terroir
The Côte des Blancs forms a cuesta with predominantly east-facing vineyard slopes at around 100 to 200 metres above sea level. The area of Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger lies at the transition between Brie champenoise and Champagne crayeuse; the Côte separates the plateau from the chalky plain.
The subsoil of Champagne is predominantly chalky and includes chalk, marl and solid limestone. The porous chalk can store water and release it gradually to the vines. The climate is influenced both by the Atlantic and by the continent, and is characterised by moderate temperatures, regular rainfall, and risks from winter frosts and summer thunderstorms.
Viticulture and Champagne
Oger has 401.90 hectares of documented vineyard area, which is managed by 215 growers. Of this, 400.20 hectares are devoted to Chardonnay and 1.70 hectares to Pinot Noir. Chardonnay is the most important grape variety of the Côte des Blancs and is particularly associated with its chalky soils.
The wines from Oger may, within the framework of the appellation rules, carry the supplementary designation “Grand Cru”. For Champagne grapes, manual harvesting is required. The grapes are taken to the press intact and pressed whole, gently and step-by-step. Cuvée and Taille are vinified separately; afterwards, bottle fermentation takes place with a legally specified minimum length of time on the lees.
History and Townscape
Oger previously had numerous wash houses and springs. Two wash houses are preserved in the Rue d’Avize and the Rue du Donjon. The Château of Oger was the residence of Léon Bourgeois, who died there on 29 September 1925 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
