Vertus

Vertus is a settlement of the municipality of Blancs-Coteaux in the Marne department. The municipality was formed in 2018 through the merger of Vertus, Oger, Gionges and Voipreux. Vertus is located in the wine-growing region Champagne, in the Côte des Blancs, about 20 kilometres south of Épernay.

The settlement lies on the last outliers of the Île-de-France cuesta, which includes the local landscape areas La Pierre aux Corbeaux and Les Falloises. The vineyards of the region are located for the most part on slopes that favour sunlight exposure and drainage. The subsoil is predominantly chalk-based and includes, among other things, chalk, marl, solid limestone, sand and clay.

The climate of the wine-growing area combines oceanic and continental influences. The regional average annual temperature is about 11 °C; in addition there are moderate rainfall amounts, as well as risks from winter frost and summer thunderstorms.

For Vertus, 542.30 hectares of vineyard area and 459 listed wine-growing holdings are recorded. Of these, about 492.00 hectares are allocated to Chardonnay, 48.00 hectares to Pinot Noir, 2.20 hectares to Meunier and 0.10 hectares to other grape varieties.

Vertus was an important Gallo-Roman centre. In the Middle Ages, the counts of Champagne equipped the town with several religious institutions, including the Abbey of Saint-Sauveur, the collegiate church of Saint-Jean and the Abbey of Saint-Martin. According to the official municipal history, Vertus was fortified with a town wall in 1080.

Wines from Vertus under the Champagne appellation are sparkling wines whose carbon dioxide is created through a second fermentation in the bottle. The protected designation of origin governs the geographical production area as well as the production and winemaking methods; it was officially recognised in 1936.