Dumangin Ratafia Champenois: Five Expressions

Five different ratafias from one house. Champagne Dumangin J. Fils in Chigny-les-Roses, founded 1884, has built a collection in which each Montagne de Reims grape is bottled as a single-variety ratafia, plus a rosé blend and a barrel-aged multi-vintage. For drinkers who think of ratafia as a champagne by-product, this range is a corrective: it’s serious work backed by PGI status.

What ratafia is

Mistelle from Champagne: unfermented grape must stopped with champagne marc (eau-de-vie). Result: 17-18% alcohol, fruit and acidity preserved, no secondary fermentation. PGI Ratafia Champenois since 2015. Works as aperitif or dessert wine, not as digestif.

Source and approach

Dumangin works with the three classic Champagne grapes from Premier Cru parcels in the Montagne de Reims (Chigny-les-Roses): Chardonnay on chalk for acidity, Pinot Noir for structure, Meunier for fruit. Aging varies by cuvée, stainless steel where freshness counts, second-use Northern Rhône barrels where complexity counts.

Five cuvées

Rosé “Délicatesse”: 2019

Blend of 50% Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, co-macerated for skin contact. Stainless steel aging keeps the colour intense. 17% alcohol. Only a few hundred bottles.

The nose leans into rich confectionery, with an English candy character running through it. On the palate, vibrant acidity keeps the sweetness in check, and the finish runs long. It works with desserts and aged hard cheeses. Serve at 12-15°C.

”Craft” Affinage Sous Bois: multi-vintage

1/3 Pinot Noir, 2/3 Meunier, multi-vintage 2002-2013. Minimum six years (average nine) in 228-litre barrels from the Northern Rhône. 18% alcohol. About 3,500 bottles per year.

It pours a deep amber with a gold reflection. The aromas are layered around ripe fruit and carry a marked depth, with a long finish to close. Pair it with 18-month Comté or dark chocolate desserts.

Chardonnay “Finesse”: 2019

100% Chardonnay from chalk-rich Montagne de Reims plots. Stainless steel. 17% alcohol. About 1,200 bottles. Gold Concours Mondial 2020.

Pale gold in the glass, with aromas of fruit paste. The palate brings intense peach, carried by fine acidity and good length. Serve it as an aperitif or alongside sashimi.

Pinot Noir “Force”: 2019

100% Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims. Stainless steel. 17% alcohol. About 1,200 bottles. Gold Concours Mondial 2020.

Clear amber, with a peppery nose that turns toward Sichuan pepper. The palate offers candied fruits, morello cherry above all, with notable acidity and length. It works with spiced duck and mature cheeses.

Meunier “Fruit”: 2019

100% Meunier from Montagne de Reims. Stainless steel. 17% alcohol. About 1,200 bottles. Silver Concours Mondial 2020.

Deep amber with ruby hints. Citrus leads the way, lemon and orange zest, before stone fruit takes over on the palate with apricot to the fore and a persistent acidic finish. Serve it with a fresh fruit dessert or mildly spiced Asian food.

Verdict

Dumangin treats ratafia as a serious category, not a champagne by-product. Five cuvées each show their grape or technique without losing the family resemblance. For drinkers who don’t yet know the PGI Ratafia Champenois segment, this house is a direct entry point.

Disclosure: Champagne Dumangin J. Fils provided bottles for this article. All tasting notes are my own independent assessment.

More information: https://champagne-dumangin.fr/

Sources

• Producer (official site)
• Comité Champagne (CIVC): champagne.fr
• INAO, Cahier des charges Champagne: inao.gouv.fr