In the mid-twelfth century, a Templar base was established in Arrentières. In 1312, under pressure from the King of France (Philip IV, known as Philip the Fair), Pope Clement V dissolved the Order of the Knights Templar. As a result, an inventory of their property and possessions was drawn up. This states that the Templars owned vines in Arrentières which “produce 35 muids in a good year” (a muid is a large barrel). Since that time, wine has always been produced… subject of course to the various conflicts and turmoil that inevitably occur in the course of history.
The first winegrower to bear the name Chaput moved to Arrentières in 1862. By 1878, he had his own wine press. The first Chaput champagne, “Cuvée des Rochottes”, was produced in the early 1930s. It is a tradition that continues today. The vineyards consist of 26 individual plots located just next door to the winery. The hillsides face South-East to West, with the steepness of the slopes ranging from 5 to 20%. The soil varies in its proportion of pebbles, its depth, and its richness in clay with each plot showcasing its own individual character producing correspondingly different wines.
Today, the Chaput brothers Nicolas and Xavier, along with their father Denis and mother Jacquline, have preserved the Templar legacy by renovating the last vestiges of a Templar commandery established there between the 12th and 14th centuries. To experience their Champagnes in their tasting cellar and tower is truly to walk through history.
