Henri Abelé Champagne
In 1757, Théodore Van der Veken, a native of Liège, founded what is now the third-oldest Champagne house still in existence, with its headquarters in Reims. In the early days of champagne production, the monks at Hautvilliers Abbey still buried the champagne bottles in the sand so that the yeast deposit could settle in the necks of the bottles. It was Antoine de Müller of Henri Abele who was credited with helping to invent the classic riddling desk in 1834; also involved in this invention was the widow Clicquot-Ponsardin. From 1837, Antoine de Müller was assisted by his son-in-law and nephew Francois Abele, who then founded his own brand five years later. His son Henri Abele followed him and invented the freezing technique in disgorging in 1884. These two discoveries sparked a revolution in Champagne production. Over the course of the company's 250-year history, the Abeles' main goal of producing the best possible Champagne with the wines of each vintage, passed down from generation to generation. The illustrious clientele, which included the German royal court at the beginning of the 19th century, as well as the Spanish court nobility in the time of Alfonso XIII, also showed the appreciation of this champagne house, whose top products are decorated with the "smiling angel" of Reims Cathedral. Today, with a total annual production of 400,000 bottles, the house is one of the small but fine champagne houses.
Henri Abelé passionately defends the true ability of France to invent and inspire. With a deep respect for its roots, Maison Henri Abelé visits French traditions in harmony with the most creative ways of life.
Maison Henri Abelé is a proud champion of French flair and keeps tradition alive beyond the borders of its home country to keep its skills and heritage actively alive. A firm believer in authenticity, the house is a courageous and optimistic ambassador of the French beating heart in all parts of the world.
Address:
Henri Abelé
50, rue de Sillery
51051 Reims Cedex, France
Phone: (33) 3 26877980
Fax: (33) 3 26877981
email: abele@henriabele.com
web: http://henriabele.com