Design – Retro, rebellious, self-confident: The label of Herbert & Co. appears retro and very bold. And that is intentional: it is deliberately rule-breaking and serves as an expression of an independent style. In the past, champagne labels were mostly elegant, classic, with family crests, many flourishes, and gold lettering. Thomas and Marie-Charlotte Herbert set a modern, rebellious accent with their design: Although the winery can look back on a family tradition of over a hundred years, the fourth generation wants to open a new chapter with its own label: high-quality cuvées with a clear signature and independent philosophy. Thomas and Marie-Charlotte: "Herbert & Co. is an energy, a state of mind, a signature. We hope you can feel it in every glass! Our design reflects this approach exactly; we are deeply rooted, but we do it in a newly interpreted way."

In Champagne, where for hundreds of years it has been considered good form to be elegant and refined, Herbert's striking design attracts attention – and it matches the character of the wines. In the cellar, the duo also follows its own path: all base wines mature in Burgundy barrels, the bottle aging lasts at least three years, and the dosage is deliberately kept low. This approach is, of course, nothing new for ChaCha customers; many young winemakers have been taking this path for several years. Herbert only makes it particularly visible through his design. The style is meant to be bolder, more intense, more individual, and the label is the visual promise of that. The bottles of Pinot Noir and Meunier show large, stylized tongues with different taste zones such as "sour," "bitter," or "umami." The intentional exaggeration is reflected in the name as well. While others vinify 100% Pinot Noir or Meunier, Herbert & Co even claim 1000% :)

The 1000% stands for radical varietal purity and for an approach that lets the terroir speak uncompromisingly. Again, nothing really new here, but one must not forget that we, who have been familiar with these styles for some time, exist in a bubble. And one must also not forget that it can take up to 10 years from the idea to marketing. During these years, many independent winemakers have exchanged ideas and are exploring the most diverse paths of their own expression together.

And now to the second detail of the winery that raises questions for the German-speaking reader: HERBERT? Wait a minute, that sounds totally German, is that really his name, does he have German ancestors (similar to Krug, Deutz, etc.), and how is it even pronounced?

The name Herbert is not an artificial name, but the real family name of the winemaker. The Herbert family has been residing in Rilly-la-Montagne since the early 20th century and is part of a long tradition of winemakers shaping the terroir of the Montagne de Reims. In old registers of the Marne department, there are probably numerous entries of the name. Nothing precise is known about its origin; it could indeed be because Champagne historically lies at the intersection of Germanic and Roman culture.

In French, the name Herbert is pronounced [ɛʁ.bɛʁ] – “Èrbèr”. The silent 't' is known from names like Robert or Albert, also names with a Germanic feel that are more common in French. And even if it is coincidental, it is precisely this peculiarity that defines the brand: French in essence, but with an independent character.