Verneuil

Verneuil lies on the right bank of the Marne, 21 km west of Épernay as the crow flies and 4 km from Dormans, in the Vallée de la Marne Rive Droite terroir. The Semoigne, a tributary of the Marne, crosses the commune from north to south; on either side, the Tardenois hills rise above 200 metres, with vineyards on the slopes and woods at the top. The land ranges from 62 to 232 metres.

The vineyards cover 356.2 ha and are farmed by 112 winegrowers, according to the UMC: Meunier 72%, Pinot Noir 18%, Chardonnay 10%. Verneuil is among the “other crus” of Champagne, with no Grand Cru or Premier Cru designation; in 1816 André Jullien placed its red wines in the fourth class. According to the UMC, Joseph Perrier and Thiénot have vineyards in the commune. The name, Vernolium in 1135, combines the Gallic words for alder and clearing. The village arose from the union of two parishes, Verneuil-le-Haut (Saint-Martin) and Verneuil-le-Bas (Saint-Remi); in 1575 it was the site of the Battle of Dormans. The Church of Saint-Remi (12th-13th century, Romanesque portal dating from around 1130), a historic monument since 1919, was restored after the Battles of the Marne and preserves a 17th-century Virgin with a bunch of grapes.

The Champagne wines from Verneuil available from STELT are listed below; the village is on the Champagne map, next to Vincelles.