Maison Devaux, founded in 1846 in the heart of the beautiful and untamed Côte des Bar, owes its success and international reputation to the determination, intelligence and character of no fewer than three consecutive widows, or “veuves”, who took over the reins of the house between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and guided it towards legendary status. Today, although its corporate structure has changed and it has become the flagship of a successful network of local winegrowers, the spirit of excellence and independence of those remarkable women remains embedded in the DNA of the maison and its wines. Geographically, we are in the south of the Champagne appellation, in the Aube department. This is an undulating landscape characterised by green hills and a slightly milder and sunnier climate than the Marne. But the real magic happens underground: the soils are composed of Kimmeridgian limestone and clay, an ancient geological formation rich in marine fossils, exactly the same as the one that makes the celebrated white wines of Chablis so unique. On this exceptional stage, Pinot Noir is the leading grape variety. Devaux’s production philosophy rests on one fundamental pillar: time as an ingredient and surgical precision in the cellar. Selection is carried out strictly parcel by parcel, isolating the very best that each hillside has to offer. What truly makes the difference, however, is the Maison’s extraordinary patience: even the entry-level cuvées rest on their lees for a minimum of three years, twice as long as required by the strict Champagne regulations.